In a direct response to alarming road safety statistics, Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has trained over 150 Boda Boda operators in Luzira on road safety and donated essential protective gear, aiming to reduce the sector’s disproportionately high rate of fatalities.
The initiative, part of UBL’s Safety Awareness Week, comes against a grim backdrop outlined in the Uganda Police Force’s 2024 annual crime report.
The report shows that motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road users, with 1,720 rider deaths—a 13.2% increase from 2023. When passengers are included, motorcycle-related deaths reached 2,396, accounting for nearly half (47%) of all road traffic fatalities in Uganda.
“The training and donation of safety gear is a crucial intervention to protect the lives of riders, who are a key part of our transport system,” said Anthony Alozie, the supply chain director at UBL.
“By equipping them with knowledge and protective equipment, we aim to contribute to reversing the troubling upward trend in motorcycle fatalities.”
The comprehensive training covered defensive riding techniques, traffic sign recognition, speed management, and the importance of adhering to traffic laws.
Following the session, each participant received a helmet and a high-visibility reflector jacket, equipment proven to significantly reduce the severity of injuries in accidents. Lawrence Niwabiine, the director of Traffic and Road Safety, commended the partnership.
“Boda Boda operators are critical stakeholders in road safety,” Niwabiine stated. “We call upon other corporate organizations to emulate this example and join us in creating safer roads for all Ugandans.”
For riders like Hakim Wanswadhee from Luzira stage, the intervention is a lifeline. “This training has opened our eyes to many risks we didn’t realize we were taking,” Wanswadhee said.
“I encourage my fellow riders to take their lives more seriously because road safety is for our own benefit, our passengers’ safety, and our families’ future.”
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