In just three days, two major crashes involving Gateway bus company left nearly 80 people injured—shocking the nation and reigniting fears about the state of road transport in Uganda.
On Sunday, May 25, at dawn, a Gateway bus (registration UBM 707X) overturned on the Ntungamo–Kabale highway, injuring 62 passengers. The crash, which occurred in Rwabahazi cell, Rukiga district, was caused when the driver lost control and fatally struck a pedestrian, Dafuroza Rwakinda, before veering off the road.
“The driver lost control of the vehicle and knocked a female pedestrian walking on the shoulder of the road,” said Elly Maate, police spokesperson for the Kigezi region.
Just two days later, on Tuesday, May 27, tragedy struck again. Another Gateway bus (UBK 804Y), this time heading to Kisoro, overturned at Chanakye Red Corner, a notorious black spot in the hills of Kanaba.
Eighteen passengers were injured when the driver, Julius Owoyesigyire, 40, failed to navigate a sharp curve. And it wasn’t just Gateway in the headlines. Earlier in May, a YY bus caught fire after overturning in Makindu village, Buikwe district, claiming lives.
On May 25, yet another crash occurred in Mpigi district, killing one and injuring six. That vehicle had already been flagged for dangerous driving prior to the accident. For Christine Niwarinda, a frequent traveler to western Uganda, riding the bus is a nerve-wracking experience.
“Some buses and taxis are very old. Many of the drivers are old too,” she says. “I sit on a bus and wonder whether we’re going to make it.” Others, like YouTuber and travel commentator MC Fresh, point to deeper, systemic issues.
“These buses are bad—not just mechanically but structurally,” he said. “You pay a low fare and in return, you get low safety and zero accountability.”
Many observers are questioning the role of traffic enforcement and regulatory agencies in preventing these avoidable tragedies. Julius Kerto, a concerned citizen, blamed not just drivers but weakened oversight.
“Last week, schools were reopening and buses made two trips a day. It’s these kinds of practices that increase the risk of accidents,” he said. “Traffic operations like Fika Salama were stopped; so, now no one is checking speeds or mechanical conditions.”
GOVERNMENT REACTS – BUT IS IT ENOUGH?
In response to the recent surge in crashes, the government has stepped up its road safety initiatives. In April, the directorate of Traffic & Road Safety launched a countrywide sensitization campaign to promote safe road use among passengers, drivers and pedestrians.
In May, State Minister for Transport Fred Byamukama ordered the suspension of operations for YY Bus Company following multiple fatal crashes. As part of the penalty, the company was instructed to submit its buses for inspection, provide a driver training schedule, and issue a public accountability statement outlining steps to prevent future incidents.
The government also introduced EPS- Auto, an automated penalty system designed to detect red light violations and instantly issue fines to vehicle owners. The system is intended to promote road discipline, reduce accidents, and ultimately save lives.
ROAD ACCIDENTS ON THE RISE
Despite these interventions, Uganda’s road safety crisis is deepening. According to the Uganda Police Force’s Annual Crime Report 2024, road crashes increased by 6.4 per cent, rising from 23,608 in 2023 to 25,107 in 2024.
Fatal crashes alone rose to 4,434, and serious injuries jumped by over 5 per cent, with 13,134 serious incidents reported in 2024. Notably, the number of fatalities involving passengers in heavy buses dropped by 38.9 per cent, from 54 deaths in 2023 to 33 in 2024—a decline attributed to stronger enforcement of driver licensing for buses.
But critics argue that progress is too slow, enforcement too sporadic, and accountability too elusive. Ugandans are growing weary of the cycle of tragedy and inaction. The public is asking hard questions: Are transport operators being held accountable?
Are drivers being trained and vetted properly? Are enforcement agencies doing enough? For now, lives remain on the line. And with every overturned bus, every burnt-out vehicle, and every lost life, the urgent need for action grows more undeniable.
As one traveler said quietly after last week’s crash, “It’s not just a journey anymore. It’s a gamble with your life.”
So, 39 years of Rwandese Museveni & powerless tribally divided ruled Ugandans are ensuring his lifetime rule with fake elections while waiting for his son to replace him, WHY?
The government has tried buh to the best.
To vet those drivers, inspect the structural functionality of transport companies (bus companies)
Some companies mind only to get fares buh no minding about the lives of their customers
I think the government need more regulations not only on road but also on these companies
It breaks my heart to see the strings of accidents – resulting in deaths or injuries – on our roads. There are several interconnected reasons why this problem persists. But I will share here two main reasons.
First, many of the people driving on our roads are not qualified to do so because they never had the right training on what driving involves, especially the safety features of driving, and are ignorant of simple traffic rules and signs, such as signs warning of sharp corners or no overtaking at particular spots.
Second, corruption at all levels, from the so-called driving schools to the traffic police. Here is a personal experience with corruption in the system: In 2002 I registered with a driving school in Kampala. Just after one week, one of the instructors asked me to give him UGX 100,000/= so that he will get me my driving permit!
I looked him in the eye and told him he was a killer, and I walked of that car and never to return to him. Instead, I hired his colleague who was one of the instructors with whom he was training me. This other instructor was very good in training and knew his work.
I would pay URA for the Temporary driving permit for two weeks and then he would train me in the evenings after work. He trained me on the safety aspects of driving – telling me that the goal of my driving should always be my safety and the safety of other road users, both pedestrians and drivers.
When he felt that I was ready for the test he took me to Naguru for the driving permt test. In my first test, failed the final stage of the reversing and parking and one or two road signs. The officer told my instructor that I give him something small, he will allow me to pass.
But my instructor told the officer that he will end in Luzira because his client does not tolerant corruption. Indeed I refused and instead I went and paid URA for another two week driving permit for further instructions. I failed the second time and a third time but each time I went an paid URA for a temporary permit so that I can do more driving classes and with my private instructor.
Eventually, I passed the tests and got my driving permit and driving on Ugandan roads was the most dangerous things one could do because you could see that most of the people driving vehicles had no basic driving skills or sense of safe driving! As long as drivers are not properly trained and do not follow simple traffic rules and signs and testing systems and some of the driving schools are corrupt, the carnage on our roads will continue.
It breaks my heart to see the strings of accidents – resulting in deaths or injuries – on our roads. There are several interconnected reasons why this problem persists. But I will share here two main reasons.
First, many of the people driving on our roads are not qualified to do so because they never had the right training on what driving involves, especially the safety features of driving, and are ignorant of simple traffic rules and signs, such as signs warning of sharp corners or no overtaking at particular spots.
Second, corruption at all levels, from the so-called driving schools to the traffic police. Here is a personal experience with corruption in the system: In 2002 I registered with a driving school in Kampala. Just after one week of training, one of the instructors asked me to give him UGX 100,000/= so that he will get me my driving permit!
I looked him in the eye and told him that he was a killer, and I walked out of that car and never returned to him. Instead, I hired his colleague who was one of the instructors with whom he was training me. This other instructor was very good in training and knew his work.
I would pay URA for the Temporary driving permit for two weeks and then he would train me in the evenings after work. He trained me on the safety aspects of driving – telling me that the goal of my driving should always be my safety and the safety of other road users, both pedestrians and drivers.
When he felt that I was ready for the test, he took me to Naguru for the driving permt test. In my first test, I failed the final stage of the reversing and parking and one or two road signs. The officer told my instructor that I give him something small, then he will allow me to pass.
But my instructor told the officer that he will end in Luzira because his client does not tolerate corruption. Indeed, I refused to give the officer money so that I could easily get a pass and apply for my driving permit. Instead, I went to and paid URA for another two-week driving permit for further instructions. I failed the second time and a third time but each time I went and paid URA for a temporary permit so that I can do more driving classes with my private driving instructor.
Eventually, I passed the tests and got my driving permit but I later realised that driving on Ugandan roads was the most dangerous things one could do because you could see that most of the people driving vehicles on our roads had no basic driving skills or sense of safe driving! As long as drivers are not properly trained and do not follow simple traffic rules and signs and the testing systems and some of the driving schools are corrupt, the carnage on our roads will continue.