Kampala's deadly black spots

Jun 01, 2013

Kampala is a city with several black spots. Unfortunately, most of these spots lack traffic sign posts to alert drivers.

By Isaac Baligema

Kampala is a city with several black spots. Unfortunately, most of these black spots lack (any or visible) traffic sign posts to alert drivers.


According to the Traffic Police records, there is at least a motor accident or two everyday on one of Kampala’s roads killing at least 1,000 people every year and thousands more survive with injuries.

Kampala’s roads are not only extremely narrow, but they are also filled with potholes, poor demarcations, among other hindrances.

Pedestrians, cyclists, boda-bodas and vehicles scramble for the little space. However, road users must pay attention to the dangerous spots on Ugandan roads.

Here are some of the black spots of Kampala.

Lugogo bypass

The problem with this junction are the cars coming from the bypass heading to town as they have to negotiate two speeding lanes (those from Kampala and those to Jinja) Some end up crushing.

There are no humps to cut down the speed of cars coming from Kampala to help those coming through the bypass to join the road. Dr. Steven Kasiima, the commissioner for traffic says this is one point where numerous accidents take place.

“It is a dangerous place which has killed so many people. We urge motorists to be alert and mind other road users,” says Kasiima.

Spear Motors junction

This is undoubtedly one of the deadliest spots which has claimed a couple of lives.

The heavy traffic police deployment, however, has helped to cut down the rate of accident at this giant junction; the Traffic Officers are always here from as early as 5:00am until late at 9:00pm.

Kalema Road-stretcher junction

About 500 metres into Ntinda stretcher road, there is another spot of Kalema Road-stretcher which has surprisingly been ignored by traffic police.

The spot is so dangerous that if one speeding to Ntinda, they may not be able to observe one joining the road from Kalema Road.

According to Isma Mulindwa, a boda-boda cyclist operating nearby Kalema stage there have been several accidents at the spot.

“The traffic here is so busy, but there is no traffic officer or any sign post to guide motorists and some new motorists in the area have always caused accidents. This place is also used by heavy trucks and trailers yet it is sloppy,” says Mulindwa.


The Lugogo by-pass junction is a dangerous spot. PHOTO/Abou Kisige

Kinawataka Road

Have you been to Kinawataka Road before? If you have not been there, you ought to be cautious if you are to use this road.

The road becomes busier in the morning and evening hours as many motorists tend to dodge the heavy traffic jam along Jinja Road.

That would not be a problem, but Kinawataka Road is one of the narrowest roads in Kampala and has no humps, sign post or traffic personnel to guide motorists.

According to residents, at least a boda-boda cyclist or pedestrian is knocked on the road daily.

“This is a dangerous road. People die on it often. It is very narrow and so smooth, motorists speed on it because there are no humps along this road,” says Flavia Musoke a resident of Kinawataka.

The Northern bypass

It has increasingly become one of the dangerous roads especially at night because it lacks lighting and certain points lack rail guards (safety bars) which have caused a number of accidents especially to new users.

Other infamous black spots include Sir. Apollo Kaggwa-By Pass-Bwaise junction, Serena Hotel-UBC TV junction, Munyonyo sharp bend (about 250 metres to Speke Resort from Kampala) and Salama Road, among others.

Kasiima says the Police is advocating the redesign of the several black spots in the city and the surrounding area to ensure that accidents are reduced.

“When we put the flyover at Kajjansi a few years ago, accidents in the area reduced drastically and we want to put up such facilities at other black spots to ensure that we save lives,” said Kasiima.

He says other black spots include Bata Bata stage at Namasuba, Mildmay, Kisubi, Katabi which are all along Entebbe road and Namanve around the Red Pepper Publications near Mukono.

If you are coming to Kampala for the first time or if you have just started using Kampala roads, you have to know the city’s black spots.

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