Kampala traffic crisis now a public health threat - study

Researchers at Makerere University School of Public Health have warned that poor urban transport systems are fuelling a growing public health crisis in Kampala.

In a report, the researchers said daily congestion, unsafe roads and polluted air are no longer just transport problems but major health risks shaped by politics and weak governance.

The study is part of a regional project titled The Political Economy of Urban Mobility Policies and Their Health Implications in African Cities. It examines how power, policy choices and institutions affect mobility and health in Kampala, Kigali and Lilongwe.

The project is led by Aloysius Ssennyonjo, Ssennyonjo, Esther Bayiga-Zziwa, Bayiga-Zziwa, and Jimmy Osuret, Osuret, from Makerere University. They argue that transport decisions in Kampala favour vehicles over people, leaving pedestrians, cyclists and boda-boda riders exposed to danger.

Speaking during a webinar on December 12, 2025, Ssennyonjo said Africa’s fast urban growth is turning everyday travel into a health risk. He said transport costs, road injuries and stress often block access to jobs and health care more than medical fees.

The researchers said Uganda’s cities remain unsafe because mobility policies focus on road expansion instead of safety and public health. They noted that health agencies are often left out of transport planning, despite clear links to injuries and pollution.

Data from Uganda Police Force show that 5,144 people died in road crashes in 2024, a seven per cent rise from the previous year. Motorcyclists made up nearly half of the deaths. In Kampala, Kampala Capital City Authority says pedestrians, cyclists and boda-boda riders account for 94 per cent of fatal crashes.

The report also cites findings from Makerere University studies showing that vehicles in Kampala move at unsafe speeds. Although few vehicles are officially recorded as speeding, those that do travel at an average of 57 kilometres per hour, far above safe urban limits recommended by World Health Organization.

The researchers said boda-bodas remain vital for mobility but pose serious safety risks. They called for balanced policies that recognise their role while fixing gaps in road design, enforcement and planning.

The team said Kampala has many transport policies but weak coordination. Overlapping mandates, political interests and poor enforcement have slowed progress on safer streets.

They urged government to treat urban mobility as a governance and public health issue, not just an engineering task, and to place health at the centre of transport planning.