Kampala Car Free Day today, vehicle access blocked to several roads
KCCA said there would be restricted entry points as vehicles would not be allowed into the car-free corridor at certain junctions.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Sharifah Buzeki (C) and Makindye Mayor Ali Ngenda (L) on bikes at the Makindye head office as part of the Kampala Car Free Day, on September 27, 2025. (Credit: KCCA)
KAMPALA - Kampala has joined several other cities around the world in celebrating an annual World Car-Free Day.
The day around the world is often around September 22 every year to promote sustainable transport options and raise awareness about reducing car use.
Car-free zones offer unique opportunities to advance the case for investments in green, accessible and inclusive urban mobility infrastructure and are increasingly being adopted globally to raise the profile of non-motorised transport alternatives in major cities.
Now, several roads in Kampala city's central business district (CBD) are closed today (September 27), as Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) hosts a car-free day aimed at promoting active mobility and better air quality.
In a public notice dated Friday, KCCA said the event would run from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
"To facilitate this event, certain road closures and traffic diversions will be in place.”
Roads closed are Nile Avenue, and the motorised traffic will be diverted to Statistics House.
KCCA said there would be restricted entry points as vehicles would not be allowed into the car-free corridor at certain junctions. These are:
• Kampala Road and Shimoni Road
• Ternan Avenue
• Kampala Road and Speke Road
• Buganda Road and Kyagwe Road
• City Square
KCCA has provided alternative roads, including Yusuf Lule Road, Parliament Avenue and Kampala Road.
Inaugural car-free day
In March 2023, Kampala successfully hosted the inaugural car-free day. Following the success of the first car-free day, KCCA resolved to have periodic car-free days on an annual basis but configured as a community-driven exercise to drive awareness and increase sustainable impact.
On March 26, 2023, state minister for Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Kabuye Kyofatogabye, launched the car-free day by encouraging residents to embrace it for health benefits.
While flagging off the event, Kabuye advised the city dwellers to leave their cars at home for some days and walk to avoid non-communicable diseases, which are caused by unhealthy lifestyles such as not doing exercise.
“We have introduced car free day, aimed at informing the public to walk on the streets as a way of improving their health since many people are dying of non-communicable diseases that related to air pollution from cars, motorcycles and also not doing enough exercise like walking,” Kabuye said.
Only pedestrians and cyclists were allowed to emphasise car-free day theme.
The 2024 Kampala car-free day aimed to advance the achievement of the following objectives:
- Articulate the economic benefits and incentives of investing in non-motorised Transport modes in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kampala
- Raise mass awareness of green mobility options as the future of urban mobility
- Showcase existing green mobility, innovation, business solutions and opportunities in the transport sector, including the need for leveraging data for transport planning
- Build a critical mass of green mobility champions and stakeholders through the Green Mobility Stakeholders Forum