Fifty-one buses were taken off the road last week by the Traffic Directorate as part of a wider enforcement drive after a spike in deadly accidents involving commuter vehicles. According to Traffic Police Spokesperson Michael Kananura the impoundments were part of stepped up operations against bus owners and drivers flouting designated routes and other safety rules.Of those checked 41 buses were off their designated routes and 10 lacked key requirements, with two drivers driving without licences, three operating without badges and five having no driver photographs on file.
Kananura added that enforcing route charts is part of efforts to make roads safer and reduce crashes involving passenger vehicles, following several fatal accidents that claimed many lives lately.”Route charts are not intended to cause difficulties for passengers or transport operators, they serve as an essential safety tool, they regulate return schedules, limit redundant trips and help manage driver fatigue which contributes significantly to accidents” Kananura said.
Officials have stressed that compliance with traffic regulations is not optional and lawbreakers among drivers and operators will face court action. Kananura added that even traffic officers who deliberately permit route chart violations will not be spared in the operations.
One of the drivers charged is Ssegawa Kiiza, arrested on 30th July by Old-Kampala Traffic Police. He was intercepted in Old Kampala driving a Toyota Hiace carrying 37 pupils on an educational swimming trip. According to police, Ssegawa said he picked the children after their original coaster suffered a mechanical breakdown.
Traffic records show at least 37 Ugandans died in bus road crashes in 10 days during the last month, with four major accidents involving public transport, three school buses on educational trips and one passenger service bus.
The worst crash happened on July 17 in Kapchorwa District where 21 people, mostly pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje Kampala died on the spot. Their bus was returning from a study tour at Sipi Falls when it crashed.
The crash involved was an Isuzu bus UA 108BQ that had mechanical issues before it crashed at Chekwatit Village Kimawa Parish Kawowo Sub-county. POlice said the driver lost control and the bus veered off road, striking a big stone and overturned. The incident has sparked concern over pre-trip inspections and whether school transport meets safety requirements.
Earlier on July 7 2026, a groy fatal accident occurred at Bobi Trading Centre along the Kampala-Gulu Highway in which 14 people died and 28 were injured. The crash involved a passenger bus registration UBE 110H owned by OPIT Travellers Company and a Mercedes-Benz Actros trailer with registration numbers KBS 564D ZE 7948.
According to police route charts are not about causing problems for passengers or operators but about safety, they control return trips, prevent needless back and forth journeys and reduce driver fatigue, a major contributor to crashes-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
