transportation 10 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Launches "Safe Tracks. Safe Roads. Safe Lives" Campaign to Combat Train-Vehicle Collisions
Following a series of tragic accidents, the Uganda Railways Corporation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Works and Transport and Safe Way Right Way, has initiated a national safety campaign to prevent devastating collisions at railway level crossings. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-rolls-out-campaign-to-stop-train-vehicle-collisions-5552928
The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) has launched a crucial safety initiative named “Safe Tracks. Safe Roads. Safe Lives.” This campaign aims to significantly reduce the number of accidents at railway level crossings across the country.
This effort, a collaboration between URC, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and Safe Way Right Way, with support from the police and the public, targets all road users including motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, as well as communities living near the railway.
URC Managing Director Benon Kajuna highlighted the destructive potential of train-vehicle collisions, despite their relative rarity compared to other transport-related incidents. He expressed grave concern over a noticeable increase in the disregard for safety protocols at level crossings, with many users ignoring instructions from guards and crossing railway lines illegally.
As an immediate measure, URC will install manual barriers at all high-risk level crossings nationwide. This short-term solution aims to enhance control and mitigate accident risks while the corporation pursues long-term goals, including the automation of these crossings.
The campaign comes in the wake of several harrowing incidents. Most recently, a bus carrying students and teachers collided with a train at the Namumira Level Crossing in Mukono District, resulting in fatalities and injuries. A previous fatal crash in December 2025 at the Wankoko level crossing in Kampala claimed the life of an American national. In the Namumira incident, a railway police officer was seen trying to signal the bus to stop, but the driver allegedly failed to comply, potentially due to misinterpreting the officer’s authority or other issues.
The “Safe Tracks. Safe Roads. Safe Lives” campaign will involve widespread public awareness drives, an increased presence of crossing guards, and more stringent enforcement measures at critical points along the railway corridor.