Uganda witnessed a devastating week on its roads, with 79 people killed and 288 others injured in various accidents nationwide, according to police reports.

The majority of the victims were motorcyclists and pedestrians, highlighting ongoing safety challenges.

Michael Kananura, the spokesperson for the traffic police, detailed that out of the total fatalities, 29 were motorcyclists, 23 were pedestrians, and nine were either passengers on motorcycles or involved in multi-vehicle collisions. He pinpointed careless overtaking and excessive speeding as the primary causes of these tragic incidents.

Among the most notable fatalities was Raphael Okiot, a lawyer, who died in a particularly harrowing accident at Nkumba.

His vehicle was crushed by an overloaded concrete truck, whose driver, despite initially fleeing the scene, was quickly apprehended by the police. Investigations revealed the truck was poorly maintained and in dangerous mechanical condition.

This incident and others prompted Waiswa Bageya, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport, to address public concerns about vehicle safety standards.

He mentioned that compensation payments to SGS, the firm previously contracted by the government for vehicle inspections, had reached 30% of the agreed sum following the termination of their contract.

The government plans to fully take over the vehicle inspection centres established by SGS, aiming to enhance road safety and prevent such accidents in the future.

The government’s response to these incidents underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations and improved vehicle maintenance standards.

These measures are crucial to reducing the high number of road accidents in Uganda, which not only claim lives but also cause significant injury.