Crackdown on taxis will last 100 days - Police
The crackdown comes amid concerns over the road safety situation in Kampala, which recorded the highest number of road crash fatalities in the country in 2025.
Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
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The crackdown on taxis in dangerous mechanical condition that kicked off today (August 24) will go on for the next 100 days, during which police will impound those public service vehicles posing a risk to passengers.
The operation, which targets commuter taxis within the Kampala Metropolitan Area, follows a directive by the Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, amid growing concerns over road safety and the condition of public transport vehicles.
Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura said the operation is intended to remove dangerous vehicles from the roads and should not be viewed as an attack on the taxi business.
“A vehicle that is mechanically unsafe has no business carrying members of the public,” Kananura said.
He said Traffic Police officers had commenced inspections and would impound taxis in dangerous mechanical condition before they are parked at designated yards for inspection and further legal action.
Kananura said officers would particularly target vehicles with serious defects involving braking systems, steering, tyres, doors, seats and body.
“We have encountered vehicles where doors are held together by ropes, vehicles with severely worn tyres, damaged seats and other defects that compromise the safety of passengers,” he said.
According to the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report 2025, Kampala Metropolitan Area recorded 1,183 road crash fatalities, with pedestrians, boda boda riders and passengers among the most vulnerable road users.
Kananura said mechanical defects remain among the violations contributing to the road safety problem, citing recent nationwide enforcement operations in which 398 drivers were apprehended for driving vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions.
Other motorists were arrested for offences including dangerous loading, careless driving and illegal vehicle modifications.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has also indicated that about 60 targeted vehicles inspected in the past two weeks failed to meet the required safety standards.
Kananura stressed that the operation was not a ban on taxis, which he said play an important role in transporting Ugandans and supporting the economy.
“This is not a ban on taxis or the public service vehicle business because we recognise the important role played by taxis in transporting Ugandans and supporting the economy. Our concern is specifically with vehicles that are unsafe, unroadworthy and beyond acceptable mechanical standards,” he said.
He warned taxi owners and operators against waiting for police officers to identify mechanical defects before taking action.
“The responsibility of putting a roadworthy vehicle on the road begins with the owner and operator,” Kananura said.
Police and officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport have also intensified joint surprise operations along major highways and at strategic checkpoints.
Recent operations were conducted at Maya-Nsangi along the Kampala-Masaka Highway and Matugga along the Gulu Highway, where officers inspected vehicles for mechanical defects and other violations.
The inspections are also targeting licensing, route charts, driver licences and badges, dangerous loading and illegal vehicle modifications.
Kananura said enforcement would cover all categories of road users, including heavy truck operators, taxi drivers, bus operators and private motorists.
“No category of road users is above the law,” he said.
Police urged Public Service Vehicle owners to voluntarily remove dangerous vehicles from service and undertake proper repairs before returning them onto the road.
Passengers were also encouraged to avoid boarding vehicles they know to be unsafe and report dangerous public service vehicles to the Police.
“Our objective is not to inconvenience road users. Our objective is to save lives,” Kananura said.