Hoima, Uganda – The Bunyoro sub-region has emerged as one of Uganda's most dangerous traffic zones, with official statistics revealing 328 fatal accidents recorded last year alone. This alarming trend prompted a high-level road safety meeting at Hoima Resort Hotel, where government officials and transport stakeholders gathered to address the crisis.
During the meeting, Deputy Police Director Norman Musinga identified the primary causes of accidents in the region, citing reckless driving by boda boda operators, jaywalking pedestrians, and motorists who consistently violate speed limits as major contributors to the rising death toll. The data specifically highlighted the Hoima-Fort Portal and Hoima-Kampala highways as particularly dangerous routes, with most crashes occurring between 8 PM and midnight, especially during weekends.
In response to this growing public safety concern, senior traffic officer Michael Kananura announced the government's plan to implement a nationwide speed camera system. The new enforcement measure will see traffic offenders facing fines ranging from 100,000 to 6 million Ugandan shillings, with penalties scaled according to the severity of violations.
Hoima Resident City Commissioner Madru Mugabi emphasised the shared responsibility for road safety, urging all road users to exercise greater caution. "While authorities must improve enforcement and infrastructure, every pedestrian and driver must take personal responsibility for obeying traffic regulations," Mugabi stated. The meeting also provided a platform for concerned drivers to voice their frustrations about inadequate road signage and other infrastructure deficiencies that contribute to accidents.
The new safety initiative will include multiple components: immediate deployment of speed detection technology, increased police patrols along high-risk corridors, and comprehensive public awareness campaigns about safe road use. These measures come as part of a broader effort to reduce preventable deaths on Uganda's roads, particularly in accident-prone regions like Bunyoro.
Transport experts at the meeting warned that without immediate intervention, the region's accident rates could continue climbing, putting additional strain on healthcare systems and causing untold economic losses. The implementation of speed cameras marks Uganda's latest attempt to modernise its traffic enforcement capabilities, joining other African nations that have adopted similar technology to improve road safety.
As authorities prepare to roll out these new measures, all eyes will be on Bunyoro's highways to see if the combination of technological enforcement and public education can reverse the region's troubling accident trends. The success or failure of this initiative could determine future road safety strategies across Uganda, making Bunyoro an important test case for nationwide traffic reform.
