Uganda’s roads are killing us: Why safety must become a national responsibility

Every time I see a fuel tanker, bus or heavy truck sharing Uganda’s roads with motorcycles, pedestrians and family cars, I am reminded that road safety is not simply a transport issue. It is a public safety, economic and human-life issue.

From my experience in petroleum transportation, I have learned one uncomfortable truth: road crashes rarely happen without warning. They are often the result of risks we see, tolerate and fail to control.
The numbers are sobering. Uganda recorded 26,044 road crashes in 2025, according to the Uganda Police Force, a 3.7 per cent increase from 2024….