Govt Defends State of Roads Amid Spate of Fatal Crashes

The Minister of Works and Transport, General Edward Katumba Wamala, has defended the state of road infrastructure following a spike in road crashes, including the fatal weekend accident that claimed the life of businessman and rally driver Rajiv Ruparelia.

In a statement released Monday, May 5, Katumba revealed that 25,107 road crashes have already been recorded in 2024, resulting in 5,154 deaths.

The statement came just days after Rajiv perished in a crash involving his Nissan GT-R, a high-performance sports car, along the Entebbe Road corridor.

According to witnesses and police reports, Rajiv’s car hit a poorly marked barrier left at the Busabala flyover traffic lights in Makindye-Ssabagabo, Wakiso District.

The vehicle crashed, overturned, and caught fire—killing him on the spot.

The incident has triggered public outrage, with many faulting contractors for leaving barriers at construction sites without proper reflector markings or advance warning signs.

“Fellow Ugandans, the general road infrastructure in the country is in a fairly motorable condition. Currently, most of the roads are at different stages of construction,” Katumba said, emphasizing that road safety remains a shared responsibility.

He acknowledged the rising toll despite government investment. “Despite efforts to improve road infrastructure with accompanying road safety interventions, crashes have continued to rise,” he said.

Katumba pointed to a mix of causes.

“Road crashes involve multiple elements: human behaviour, vehicle condition, road condition, and its environment. Among these, speed contributes about 45%," he added, citing the Uganda Police Report.

Addressing ongoing roadworks, he said the Ministry is committed to safety.

“We recognise the critical importance of ensuring safety for work zones and all road users, in line with our guidelines and standards,” he said.

However, he cited vandalism of road signage and safety equipment as a major challenge.

“We are faced with the issue of vandalism, which undermines road safety and endangers lives,” Katumba noted.

But critics argue that negligence by contractors and lax supervision by authorities are also to blame. Construction zones, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, are often left with unmarked or poorly lit barriers—turning roads into death traps.

In his appeal, Katumba urged road users and communities to be vigilant.

“Let us protect public assets and report safety concerns. It is the responsibility of every Ugandan to help ensure no life is lost unnecessarily.”

As the nation prepares to see off Rajiv at his cremation tomorrow, pressure is mounting from thousands of other crash victims and relatives on the ministry -that took over road works from the disbanded Uganda National Roads Authority - and contractors to urgently improve safety at road construction sites before more lives are lost.

Minister acknowledges high death toll, but blames human error and vandalism as public fury grows over deadly roadworks following the tragic death of businessman Rajiv Ruparelia at Makindye-Ssabagabo at the weekend