By Ben Musanje
The Uganda Police Force has commenced a 100-day operation targeting public service vehicles (PSVs) operating in dangerous mechanical condition (DMC) in the Kampala metropolitan area.
The operation, which started Monday, August 24, 2026, follows a directive by the Minister of State for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, to crack down on unsafe commuter taxis.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura said the force fully supports the directive, describing the condition of some public service vehicles as a major road safety and public protection concern.
Kananura said Kampala Metropolitan Police recorded the highest number of road crash fatalities in the country in 2025, with 1,183 deaths recorded across its three regions.
He said mechanical defects are among the violations contributing to road crashes, citing dangerous conditions involving brakes, steering systems, tyres, doors, seats and vehicle body structures.
“ A vehicle that is mechanically unsafe has no business carrying members of the public,” Kananura said.
He warned that police had encountered taxis with severely worn tyres, damaged seats and doors held together with ropes, among other dangerous defects.
The police spokesperson said 398 drivers were apprehended during nationwide enforcement operations last week for driving vehicles in dangerous mechanical condition, alongside offences including dangerous loading, careless driving and illegal vehicle modifications.
According to Kananura, the Ministry of Works and Transport has also indicated that about 60 targeted PSVs inspected over the past two weeks failed to meet required safety standards.
He stressed that the operation is not intended to ban taxis or disrupt the public transport business, but to remove unsafe vehicles from the roads.
“This is not a ban on taxis or the PSV business. We do recognize the important role played by the taxis in transporting Ugandans and also supporting the economy,” he said.
Under the operation, traffic officers will inspect vehicles suspected to be in DMC condition. Those found to be unsafe will be impounded and taken to designated locations for further inspection and appropriate legal action.
Kananura said the enforcement will be sustained throughout the 100-day period, warning operators against temporarily repairing vehicles only to return them to the road without addressing major mechanical defects.
He urged taxi owners and drivers to inspect and maintain their vehicles before putting them into service, saying responsibility for ensuring roadworthiness rests primarily with owners and operators.
“If your vehicle is mechanically sound, properly licensed, properly inspected, and compliant with all the requirements, you have nothing to fear from the operation,” Kananura said.
Police are also encouraging passengers to avoid boarding taxis they know to be unsafe and to report dangerous vehicles to authorities.
Kananura said members of the public can assist the operation by providing information about vehicles with obvious safety defects, including those held together with ropes or operating with severely damaged components.
He added that joint operations with the Ministry of Works and Transport have already been intensified along major highways and strategic checkpoints.
Recent operations at the Maya-Nsangi checkpoint along the Kampala-Masaka Highway and Matugga along the Gulu Highway have involved checks on mechanical condition, driver licences, badges, route-chart compliance, dangerous loading and other traffic violations.
Police said several drivers were apprehended during the operations, including truck drivers allegedly driving outside their licence classes and taxi operators carrying more passengers than authorised.
The Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF) had earlier advised members operating taxis in dangerous mechanical condition to park the vehicles ahead of the crackdown.
Kananura said the ultimate objective of the 100-day operation is to improve road safety and save lives. “A roadworthy PSV is not a privilege, but it is a responsibility,” he said. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
