By Mulengera Reporters
Uganda’s alarming rise in child road accidents has triggered a major push from government agencies and stakeholders in the transport arena, who have now taken their road safety campaign straight into classrooms.
The Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) Uganda, working hand-in-hand with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), the Uganda Police Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and Consult Africa Usalama, held its third “Safe Kids, Safe Future” training session at Gadhafi Road-based Aga Khan Primary School, a move that signals a growing national effort to protect young learners.
This comes at a time when the numbers are painting a dangerous picture. In 2024 alone, Uganda recorded 25,107 road crashes, with 4,434 of them claiming lives, according to official statistics contained in the Police report.
Children continue to pay the highest price; at least two lose their lives daily, according to the UPF’s Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety. The steady rise in child deaths, from 650 in 2022 to 872 in 2023, has pushed authorities to become more deliberate while acting more aggressively.
At the Thursday Aga Khan Primary School event, Alan Kwitonda, who represented ITMS Uganda, made it clear that their focus is now shifting to early education.
He argued that teaching children road safety antics creates future road users who understand the rules and can even influence adults. Kwitonda confirmed that ITMS Uganda is treating schools as the starting line for a nationwide awareness creation effort that will expand to communities next year.
KCCA was represented by Jemima Nalumansi, Bloomberg Road Safety Project Coordinator at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), who said schools offer a perfect environment to build long-lasting behavioral change. She described the partnership among the agencies as a coordinated strategy aimed at slowing down the rising curve of road crashes involving children.
Teachers at Aga Khan welcomed the campaign with enthusiasm. Vincent Muyima, Head of the Science Department and Officer in Charge of Student Security and Safety at Aga Khan Elementary School, noted that many children walk or are transported daily, making road safety knowledge essential. He said the school intends to spread the lessons further through peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.
Practical demonstrations led by Ms Mable Tomusange, Road Safety Advocate and Managing Consultant at Consult Africa Usalama, illustrated and brought the message home. She showed pupils how to use zebra crossings, identify road signs and understand how helmets and reflective clothing save lives.
The young learners quickly absorbed the lessons, with pupils Pat Mahesh Moreh and Mohit Sai Shevakumar confidently explaining road signs, reflective gear and speed limits. This was proof that the training resonated deeply.
Officials also addressed the role of parents, guardians, and motorcycle riders, warning that safety begins with adults making responsible decisions: supervising children, insisting on helmets and observing speed limits while driving near or past school environments.
The “Safe Kids, Safe Future” campaign is expected to expand into more schools across Kampala before spreading out nationwide. With the December holiday season, historically the most dangerous month for road crashes —approaching, authorities say the timing could not have been more appropriate.
The hope is that, by educating children early and involving entire communities, Uganda can finally begin to reverse the worrying trend of road accidents. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
