An open letter to IGP and Director of traffic and road safety, Uganda

Dear IGP and Director of Traffic and Road Safety,

Warm greetings!

I write to you not only as a law-abiding citizen but also as a regular commuter whose patience has been tested beyond measure along our national highways, specifically the Lira–Kampala, Lira–Mbale, and Lira–West Nile routes.

Let me confess: I once had a dream that by owning a personal vehicle, I would escape the chaos of our public transport system. I scraped together my modest resources and bought a car.

Sadly, with skyrocketing fuel prices and maintenance costs that seem to be sponsored by inflation itself and poor roads in Uganda, I have since surrendered to the mercy of PSV (Public Service Vehicle) operators again. And oh, what an experience it has been.

Dear IGP, our roads have become theatres of traffic injustice. Buses licensed to carry 59 passengers somehow manage to squeeze in 100 human beings, several babies and the occasional goats and cows.

Taxis that have been licensed to carry 14 passengers, are now carrying 20, not counting the spare tyre language and the conductor’s ego.

And what do your traffic officers do? Well, they don’t seem to see much. Perhaps it’s poor visibility, caused by the fog of bribery.

Drivers routinely park at a safe distance, take a diplomatic walk to the nearest officer, hand over the “kitu kidogo” (between UGX 5,000 and UGX 10,000), and continue their journey overloaded and undisturbed.

My humble understanding is that overloading is a punishable offense under Ugandan traffic laws. But on these routes, it seems to be a well-oiled business model: one that’s thriving under the blind eyes of those in uniform.

Therefore, I respectfully recommend the following:

Strategic traffic points: Let all major traffic checkpoints be established near existing national road surveillance cameras. Technology never asks for bribes.

Integrity at the gate: Deploy incorruptible officers at all bus and taxi terminals. The offense starts at the source (nip it right there).

Ban the brokers: Eliminate all stage brokers. Their presence fuels passenger extortion and their commissions encourage overcharging.

Make corruption unfashionable: Any officer found guilty of taking bribes along the highways should be dismissed, not quietly, but with the publicity they truly deserve. Let disgrace be the lesson.

Sir, I believe in the mission of our traffic police. But belief must be matched with action. Let’s bring sanity to our roads, so that the next time I board a taxi, I won’t have to sit on someone’s lap or share my oxygen with ten other passengers more than the law allows.

Yours in the struggle for a safer, fairer road experience.

The writer is a Human Rights Advocate and Development Professional based in Lira, Uganda