GULU ;Uganda’s government will accelerate a new wave of road safety reforms following a highway crash that killed 46 people this week, Transport Minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala said in a statement Wednesday.
The fatal incident, which occurred at 12:15 a.m. on October 22 at Kitaleeba Village along the Kampala–Gulu Highway, involved two long-distance buses and two other vehicles.
Preliminary investigations by traffic police cite reckless overtaking and speeding as the primary causes.
The Transport Ministry will use the findings from the ongoing investigation to inform a set of policy and enforcement reforms aimed at curbing the country’s rising road carnage.
Enforcement Overhaul
Key measures under consideration include the fast-tracked rollout of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), designed to digitally monitor highway traffic behavior, and a possible review of night travel regulations for long-distance passenger buses.
Other proposals include:
- Mandatory re-training and certification for public service vehicle drivers.
- Deployment of highway surveillance and enforcement teams on dangerous corridors.
- Revision of the National Road Safety Strategy to prioritize digital enforcement and risk-based patrols.
- Harsher penalties for repeat offenders and reckless drivers.
“We are working with the Uganda Police and local authorities not only to investigate but to act,” Katumba said. “This tragedy must become a turning point.”
Fatalities on the Rise
The Kampala–Gulu Highway crash is one of the deadliest in Uganda’s recent history.
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report, 4,534 people died in road crashes in 2024, up from 3,901 in 2023. Officials blame poor enforcement, reckless driving, and inadequate road safety education.
In the Kitaleeba crash, both the Nile Star and Planet Company buses reportedly attempted to overtake at the same time in opposite directions, leading to a head-on collision and multiple vehicle overturns.
“A single act of negligence claimed dozens of lives,” Katumba said. “That is unacceptable.”
Public Pressure Mounts
The government has faced growing pressure to act on rising road deaths, especially along major transport corridors like the Kampala–Gulu Highway, a key link between the capital and Uganda’s northern region.
Civil society organizations have called for tighter regulation of the public transport sector, enhanced night-travel restrictions, and stronger enforcement capacity.
Katumba said the Ministry will publish a full report once investigations are concluded, including accountability actions and policy shifts. In the interim, he urged motorists to exercise discipline on the road.
“No journey or deadline is worth a human life,” he said. “We are not just mourning. We are reforming.”
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