35 People Killed in Seven Days of Bodaboda Accidents

(Kampala) – A series of bodaboda crashes have led to the deaths of 35 riders and six passengers in just one week, according to the Uganda Police. The incidents, which occurred in the week ending November 4, 2024, also resulted in 32 pedestrians being injured after being knocked down by speeding motorcycles.

Michael Kananura, the spokesperson for the Traffic Police, stated that motor vehicles were involved in nearly half of the accidents, with 49 percent of the cases attributed to them. However, he emphasized that motorcycles remain the highest risk factor on the road. Unsafe overtaking and speeding are the primary causes of these fatal accidents.

One of the most tragic incidents took place on November 1, 2024, in Mayanja Valley, Kawanda, in Wakiso District. In this case, a trailer, registration number UBR197D, collided with a motorcycle carrying three passengers, including a three-week-old baby. The trailer, traveling from Kampala to Bombo, attempted to overtake the motorcycle. During the maneuver, the trailer’s rear end brushed against the motorcycle, causing the rider to lose control. The motorcycle then crashed, and the passengers, including the baby, were thrown under the trailer’s wheels, resulting in their immediate deaths. The rider was thrown to the side of the road but later succumbed to his injuries.

In a similar incident, a speeding Tata truck caused an accident in Namulanda, Luuka District. The truck brushed against a motorcycle carrying three people. The crash resulted in the death of one person and injuries to the other two.

Kananura urged motorcyclists to follow safety measures, including adhering to passenger and luggage limits to improve maneuverability and avoid risky overtaking.