Uganda Intensifies Highway Crackdown After Deadly Crashes

Ugandan authorities are heightening traffic enforcement measures across the nation’s highways, spurred by recent devastating road crashes. In a targeted operation on the Kampala–Masaka Highway, police apprehended 11 commuter taxi drivers for dangerous overloading.

These arrests come in the wake of two high-profile accidents that have reignited public concern over road safety. A collision between a taxi and a truck on the Lwera stretch of the Kampala-Masaka Highway resulted in 14 fatalities. Shortly thereafter, another taxi crash near Kakira Junction on the Jinja–Iganga Highway claimed two more lives and left several others critically injured.

Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura stated that drivers attempting to bypass checkpoints by traveling at night will face legal consequences. “Many of these offenders deliberately travel at night and dodge checkpoints. Through intelligence-led operations, they were intercepted, detained, and will be arraigned in court,” Kananura warned.

Overloading significantly compromises a vehicle’s stability, increasing the risk of mechanical failures and loss of control. Police have emphasized that this enforcement action is nationwide and that violations will lead to arrest and prosecution.

Official statistics reveal a concerning increase in road incidents, with over 26,000 crashes recorded in 2025, leading to more than 5,300 deaths. Reckless driving is identified as the cause of over 40 percent of these crashes.

While industry experts acknowledge the stressful working conditions for taxi operators, the police maintain that stress is not a justification for negligence. Enforcement efforts are set to continue until order is re-established on the roads.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/maya-night-arrests-expose-rising-peril-on-uganda-s-highways-after-fatal-crashes-5555736