Over the Easter holidays, a total of 91 individuals tragically lost their lives in a combination of road accidents and crime incidents, as reported by Uganda police statistics.
The breakdown reveals that 46 fatalities resulted from various crime incidents, while an equal number of 45 perished in traffic crashes. These unfortunate events unfolded between March 28 (Holy Thursday) and April 01 (Easter Monday).
Michael Kananura, the Traffic Police Spokesperson, disclosed that among the casualties of road crashes were 22 motorcycle riders, 10 passengers, and five individuals traveling on motorcycles. Additionally, 120 individuals sustained injuries in these incidents, which were reported across different roads, with Kampala metropolitan area, Albertine, and Wamala regions bearing the brunt of the accidents.
Highlighting a recurring concern, both police statistics and civil society studies, such as Safe Way Right Way (SWRW), underscore the alarming rate of motorcycle riders and passengers losing their lives or suffering severe injuries due to non-compliance with helmet usage.
Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson, elaborated on the crime-related fatalities, citing mob justice, aggravated robbery, and domestic violence as contributing factors. In response to these incidents, the police have apprehended 52 suspects linked to the reported killings and other criminal activities recorded during the Easter period.
Enanga further revealed a surge in reportable crimes, with a total of 62 incidents documented, compared to 44 incidents reported during the Easter period in 2023. Of these incidents, 46 resulted in fatalities, with mob action, aggravated robbery, and domestic violence accounting for the majority of cases.
Police operations were intensified in areas like Gombe and Matugga under Nansana Municipality, leading to the arrest of 20 suspects on Good Friday. Additionally, heightened security measures were implemented in Moroto district following intelligence indicating planned Turkana attacks.
Kananura emphasized the continued efforts of traffic police officers in enforcing road safety regulations, with 786 individuals apprehended for various violations during Easter week. Among the offenses, driving with invalid licenses was a prevalent issue, with 89 individuals caught without licenses, 435 driving with expired licenses, and 257 possessing out-of-class licenses. Furthermore, five drivers were found to be in possession of forged licenses, leading to legal charges against them.
