Clare N
The Inter-Religious Council Tooro Chapter has criticized the lack of enforcement of road safety guidelines, attributing it to the rising number of road accidents in the country.
Speaking after a prayer meeting held to pray for a peaceful election season and a more effective Tooro Kingdom yesterday at Bishop Muhiirwa’s Residence in Kijanju Fort Portal,the Chairperson of the IRCU Tooro Chapter, Bishop Reuben Kisembo Amooti, blamed the traffic police for being too lenient with road users who break traffic rules.
He mentioned offenses such as drunk driving, reckless speeding, and unprofessional conduct on the roads, which he said have led to many of Uganda’s road accidents.
Bishop Kisembo urged the government to do more to ensure that all drivers meet proper standards, instead of merely receiving accident reports without taking serious action.
Local measures
The Ruwenzori Diocese head, however mentioned local measures enforced in the Diocese to raise awareness of the problem including the annual Roadsafety campaign which is also done in memory of late
Bishop Patrick Kyaligonza who perished in a road accident on
February 10, 2010, on the Fort Portal-Kyenjojo road when his vehicle’s tire burst, causing it to overturn multiple times
Sheikh Twaibu Tibenda, the Kabarole County Sheikh who also attended the meeting, cautioned drivers against answering upsetting phone calls while driving, saying such distractions can easily lead to accidents. He also condemned the corruption that allows drivers to bribe traffic officers to overlook offenses such as overloading and driving without a valid license.
The discussion came just days after a tragic road accident that claimed 46 lives and left many others injured at Kitaleba Village near Asili Farm, along the Kampala–Gulu highway, shortly after midnight on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, business went on as usual, raising further concern about the seriousness of road safety enforcement in Uganda