In his open letter to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Director of Traffic and Road Safety on April 23, 2025, Newton Noble Odongo, Human Rights Advocate, did not only expose traffic related corruption on major highways, but offered solutions.
He brought to the attention of the IGP “how our roads have become theatres of traffic injustices.” “Buses licensed to carry 59 passengers somehow manage to squeeze in 100 human beings, several babies and the occasional goats and cows.”
Noble informed the top police boss that “taxis that have been licensed to carry 14 passengers, are now carrying 20, not counting the spare tyre, luggage and the conductor’s ego.”
His open letter did not only go viral, got massive reach but attracted the attention of the IGP and Director of Traffic and Road Safety.
Speaking to tndNews on Monday, Odongo shared his happiness at the actions taken by the responsible top police officer who reached out to him.
In another letter shared with this publication on Tuesday, Noble wrote: “Thank you, Uganda Police, yes, you read that right—for not just listening, but acting.
“In a country where many letters vanish into bureaucratic black holes, mine found its mark. Days after I raised my voice in an open letter to the Inspector General of Police and the Director of Traffic and Road Safety, detailing the gospel truth of traffic injustice on our major highways, I received an unexpected call.
“Not from a nosy neighbor or an insurance agent—no. It was the Director of Traffic and Road Safety himself.
He said, “Comrade, I’ve read your letter. Let’s talk.”
“It turns out the good Director spent nearly a week tracking down my phone number—something that deserves a medal or at least airtime compensation.
“That alone showed a level of commitment rarely seen in public service. We spoke. And what a refreshing conversation it was—laced with humility, guided by professionalism and driven by genuine concern.
“We delved into the heart of the matter: the overloading of taxis, buses, and the bribery at checkpoints, the silent suffering of passengers—issues that have turned road travel into a daily gamble. He listened. I spoke. And together, we agreed on key steps needed to tame this beast called traffic injustice.
“But the Director didn’t stop at me. He made a rallying call to all citizens: crime prevention is not a solo performance—it’s a choir. Each of us has a role in reporting and resisting criminality, especially on the roads we all share.
“He appreciated the boldness of raising the issue publicly—proof that citizen voices can nudge institutions to act.
“Investigations will be launched, he promised, and culprits who tarnish the badge of service will face the music—not the kind played at taxi parks, but one conducted in a justice’s courtroom.
“To the Director, I say thank you—for the time, the tone, the tenacity, and the talk.
“You could’ve ignored my letter, filed it under “another complainer,” but you didn’t. You picked up the phone.
“Let this be a note of hope to fellow Ugandans: sometimes, when you speak up, someone actually listens—and sometimes, miraculously, that someone even calls you back.”
Uganda road crash statistics
According to Uganda Police Annual Crime Report for 2024, the country recorded 25,107 road crashes, an increase of 6.4% from cases recorded in 2023.
Due to negligence in road traffic enforcement and bad road usage, the 2024 crash figures were unfortunately immense.
In 2024, 17,013 were seriously injured compared to 16,736 in the previous year.
Addressing the press in Kampala in February 2025, Director of Traffic and Road Safety AIGP Lawrence Nuwaniine, said, “Uganda is witnessing a worrying trend in road crashes with both fatalities and injuries increasing year after year.”
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