news 10 September 2026 Nile Post
Kampala Road Safety: Gains Fragile as Vulnerable Users Face High Fatality Rates
Despite a slight decrease in the overall road traffic death rate per capita, Kampala's road safety remains a critical concern, with pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists bearing the brunt of fatalities. Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/370177/kampala-road-safety-gains-remain-fragile-as-vulnerable-users-bear-brunt-of-deaths
Kampala is grappling with persistent road safety challenges, as evidenced by the 2025 Kampala Road Safety Report. While the overall death rate per 100,000 people has slightly decreased from 9.9 in 2024 to 9.5 in 2025, the absolute number of fatalities saw a minor increase, reaching 407 in 2025 from 404 in 2024.
The report, a collaboration between the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), highlights a stark reality: 94 percent of all road traffic deaths involve pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists. Motorcyclists alone constitute half of these tragic figures.
This disproportionate impact on vulnerable road users underscores the growing risks as traffic volume and mobility surge across the city. Young adults, aged 20 to 39, are identified as the most affected demographic, raising significant social and economic concerns.
A key contributing factor identified is speeding, with an increase observed particularly on arterial roads, despite existing speed limit regulations. This points to challenges in compliance and enforcement, questioning the effectiveness of current measures.
KCCA plans to utilize the report’s data to target interventions more effectively, focusing on infrastructure, enforcement, and communication campaigns. The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety acknowledges the strain on the road network due to Kampala’s expansion and increasing road user diversity. They are enhancing enforcement in high-crash zones, improving data collection, and expanding road-user education.
High-risk areas identified include Bwaise Roundabout, Busega Roundabout, Masanafu Roundabout, and the Mbogo–Najjera Road junction, where targeted engineering improvements and focused enforcement are recommended.