Govt Unveils Digital Eye to Curb Road Deaths and Discipline Drivers

The government has unveiled a new digital traffic monitoring system to curb the country’s soaring road accident rates, targeting reckless drivers, unfit vehicles, and impunity on the roads.

The initiative, announced by the Ministry of Works and Transport, is part of a broader strategy to enforce discipline and accountability across the transport sector.

The digital surveillance system will track traffic violations in real time and automatically alert offending drivers via SMS.

According to Minister of State for Transport Fred Byamukama, the technology will eliminate protection for well-connected drivers who have previously escaped consequences.

“This technology will end the culture of impunity. No one is above the law. Whether you're a senior official or an ordinary driver, you will be held accountable,” Byamukama said, noting that if the system performs as expected, traffic police patrols could be scaled back in favour of remote enforcement.

The digital shift comes amid increasing public alarm over fatal road crashes involving private and commercial vehicles, particularly buses.

In response, the government is also introducing broader reforms in public transport management.

These include phasing out unauthorised taxi stages and requiring drivers to join formal associations to streamline regulation and improve traceability, especially for habitual offenders.

The Ministry is also finalising a policy to penalise bus companies with frequent accident histories, saying operators who consistently put passengers’ lives at risk will no longer be tolerated.

“We are going to hold transport operators accountable. Frequent offenders will not be allowed to continue putting lives at risk,” said a ministry official.

Another key reform will take effect in July, when all old or mechanically unfit vehicles—particularly commuter taxis—will be barred from operating on Ugandan roads. The move is expected to improve roadworthiness across the country’s transport fleet.

To reinforce public awareness, the Ministry, in partnership with Legacy Road Safety, will host a road safety marathon on May 31.

The event will include training for first responders, equipping them with basic lifesaving skills at accident scenes.

In a related development, government officials have drawn a link between corruption and deteriorating road safety, citing substandard roads as a consequence of graft in infrastructure procurement and execution.

A statement from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) stressed that poor construction, often driven by kickbacks and weak oversight, contributes to road hazards across the country.

Beyond infrastructure, the government acknowledged other systemic contributors to road carnage, including poverty, alcohol use, and domestic instability—factors that often impair judgment and increase risk behind the wheel.

Authorities now hope that a combination of technology, regulation, and civic engagement will reverse the grim trends on Uganda’s roads.

As implementation begins, the public is being urged to support the reforms and take personal responsibility for road safety.

“Lives are being lost daily. This is no longer a policy issue alone—it is a moral and national imperative,” Byamukama said.