Police deploy chopper to diffuse over 20-hour-long Mpigi-Kampala traffic gridlock

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Police have this morning (December 30, 2025) been forced to deploy a helicopter to resolve the gridlock on the Masaka-Kampala highway.

The move follows hundreds of motorists spending the night stuck in traffic jam.

This was after hundreds of motorists spent the night stuck on the Kampala-Masaka highway due to a gridlock that lasted over 20 hours.

Motorists using the Masaka road remained stranded from before 6:00pm till this morning, after areas around Mpigi experienced a terrible gridlock with cars hardly moving on either side of the road.

Norman Musinga, the deputy Traffic commandant who flew on the chopper, identified some of the hotspots, which included Lungala and Katende junction, that he said were not manned by traffic Police officers.

“It’s Lungala and the junction of Katende that are not manned. Regional Traffic Officers, come in action and deploy officers to man these areas,” Musinga could be overheard issuing commands to traffic officers while flying over the gridlocked area.

Michael Kananura, the Traffic and Safety Directorate Spokesperson, had earlier on Tuesday urged motorists along the road to use alternative routes.

“Due to heavy traffic congestion in Mpigi, motorists heading to Kampala have been diverted to use the Kasanje–Nakawuka route, while those heading to Masaka have been diverted to use the Gomba–Sembabule route. We urge all motorists to comply with officers’ directives for smooth traffic flow and safety,” Kananura stated.

One of the Sino truck that had developed a mechanical problem along the Masaka-Mpigi highway was towed away and one motorist who had left Mbarara at 10am was still stuck along Mpigi at 11:00am on Tuesday, whiles several other families slept in their cars.

A family member told New Vision Online his family was at Mpigi by 6:00pm last evening and was stranded there this Tuesday morning, and yet Mpigi district is hardly 24kms from Kampala Central Business District.

Joshua Byamazima, who was in Mpigi from Monday 7:00pm. until Tuesday morning, said, “after Mpigi I observed that the traffic jam was simply caused by overzealous driving. The road from Katende to Kampala was clear. The congestion is due to motorists driving in up to five lanes.”

Journalist Blanshe Musinguzi, who also slept in the jam, said, “Hell! I slept in the Mpigi jam. From midnight until Tuesday morning, I haven’t moved 2km. A taxi driver had spent 11hrs in Mpigi. What kind of country are we living in? History has taught us that it is exactly these small, burning injustices that spark revolutions.”

Alternative routes

The works ministry, in a statement released on Tuesday morning, apologised and offered motorists alternative routes.

“Dear motorists, the existing travel alternatives, including the Mpigi—Kasanje—Nakawuka to Entebbe/Kampala [for traffic heading to Kampala] and Mpigi— Kanoni — Gomba—Sembabule—Villamaria [for traffic heading to Masaka], are beginning to offer some traffic relief. Alternatively, from Mpigi, one can divert to Kasanje and use the Ferry at Nakiwogo to Entebbe/Kampala. Traffic Police are on ground with added deployment to ensure a steady flow.  We deeply regret the delays caused and urge motorists to keep in the lane to avoid further disruption!” the Ministry stated.

Even though traffic police did not say what caused the jam, several motorists attributed it to the ongoing political campaigns by several presidential candidates within the Buganda region, including National Unity Platform flag-bearer Kyagulanyi Sentamu and President Yoweri Museveni.