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March 6, 2026March 8, 2026

Nicole Foundation Deepens Road Safety Advocacy in 212km Joe Walker Trek to Hoima

Hoima 6^th March 2026. The 212-kilometre Joe Walker Road Safety Awareness Walk from Kampala to Hoima has concluded successfully, reinforcing national calls for safer roads and responsible road use across Uganda.

The walk was flagged off by Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport on Saturday 28^th February 2026, who underscored the need for collective responsibility on the nation’s roads. “There is a song which says, ‘Munsi eno okozeemuki’ — meaning what have you done in this world? Joe Walker has done something very remarkable, sending the message across and alerting everybody that we must all use the roads safely,” he said at the launch.

He urged motorists, riders and pedestrians to respect road signs and exercise caution at dangerous corners, noting that “even saving one life matters” in the broader fight against road carnage.

The six-day trek, led by road safety campaigner Joseph Beyanga, brought together seven (7) dedicated walkers who endured heat, dust, heavy rains and long distances to amplify lifesaving messages. The journey ended at Karuziika Palace in Hoima, where the team was received by partners and sponsors, including Nicole Foundation (NF), Uganda National Oil Company, Uganda Red Cross Society, Safe Way Right Way, and Rotary Club of Hoima Kitara.

Two volunteers from the Nicole Foundation (NF), a road safety advocacy organisation, participated in the walk and completed the full 212km without major injuries. During the walk, the participants supported community engagements with boda boda riders and drivers, including the distribution of reflector jackets to improve visibility and reduce night-time crashes.

The walk traversed Kakiri, Busunju, Kiboga and Kyankwanzi districts, where participants held roadside sensitisation sessions focusing on speed management, helmet use, seatbelts, and distraction-free driving. A mobile support van provided hydration, glucose supplements and medical care, while safety officers ensured secure walking lanes along the highway.

Mr. Robert Kyamanywa, a volunteer from the foundation engages boda boda riders at Kakiri town council

The urgency of the campaign was underscored on Day Three when walkers encountered a fatal crash in Lwantama, Kiboga District, involving an over-speeding trailer that overturned and claimed a driver’s life — a tragic reminder of Uganda’s road safety crisis.

According to national statistics, Uganda loses an average of 14 people daily to road crashes, with motorcyclists accounting for nearly half of fatalities. The economic burden is estimated at more than 5% of GDP annually.

Speaking at the finish line in Hoima, a Nicole Foundation representative said: “This 212km walk is more than a physical journey; it is a statement that road safety is a shared responsibility. Every life lost on our roads is one too many. Through partnerships, community engagement, and sustained advocacy, we can change behaviours and save lives.”

The walk strengthened NF’s partnerships within the road safety ecosystem and advanced its mission of grassroots mobilisation, digital awareness, and policy engagement.

The post-walk activities included a visit to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital’s emergency ward, painting of a Zebra crossing in Hoima city and a visit to the newly constructed Hoima stadium.

The message remains clear: safer roads require collective action from government, civil society, and every road user. The Joe Walker Road Safety Awareness Walk stands as a powerful step toward that shared goal.

Joseph Beyanga “Joe Walker” marks that end of the 212km walk at Karuzika Palace in Hoima city

For more information:

+256 776902307 info@nicolefoundation.org

January 23, 2026January 23, 2026

Joe Walker Kampala To Hoima Road Safety Walk

KAMPALA TO HOIMA WALK

On 28th February, 2026, we are starting off our 5th #JoeWalker national road safety awareness walk - Kampala to Hoima.

Here are some facts about Hoima, the Oil City. It’s a gateway to the Albertine Graben for oil exploration and tourism. It’s also home to the beautiful Hoima City Stadium - one of the host venues for AFCON 2027- as well as Kabale airport, Uganda’s second international airport. In the last 10 years, Hoima (Bunyoro region) has registered a dramatic improvement of road network with hundreds of kilometers of either newly constructed roads or upgraded roads.

The improved road network, has seen enhanced connectivity but also significant road safety challenges.

One Dead, 41 Injured in Pakwach–Panyimur Road Crash

One person has been confirmed dead while 41 others sustained injuries following a road accident involving a Fuso truck along the Pakwach–Panyimur road in West Nile sub-region.

The crash occurred on January 11, 2026, at about 2:00 p.m. in Kaligonzi Village. According to police, the black Fuso truck, registration number UBR 819A, was traveling from Lacor in Gulu District to Panyimur Market, carrying traders—mostly men and women—when it overturned.

Fewer Road Crashes Registered During 2025 Festive Season, Police Say

The Uganda Police Force has reported a reduction in road crashes during the 2025 festive season compared to the same period last year, citing improved compliance and coordinated road safety interventions.

According to the police spokesperson, Michael Kananura, the improvement was largely the result of collaborative efforts involving security agencies, road safety stakeholders and individual road users who exercised greater caution.

Seven Family Members Who Died in Masaka Road Accident Laid to Rest

A somber mood engulfed Kyogo Church of Uganda in Kamwezi Sub-county, Rukiga District, as mourners gathered to bid farewell to seven members of one family who lost their lives in a tragic road accident.

The victims were identified as Sayuni Turihonabwe, Bredah Ainembabazi, Ivan Niwagaba, Keisha Atuhairwe, Keron Agaba, Keith Agaba, and Kenon Masiko. The fatal accident occurred on December 27, 2025, along the Masaka–Mbarara highway when the vehicle they were traveling in collided with a truck.

Govt issues road safety dos and don’ts for festive season

The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, has urged Ugandans to respect road rules and ensure their safety during the festive period. Gen Katumba, in a speech read by Ms Barbara Namugambe, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport, during the launch of the road safety week and launch of mandatory vehicle inspection, warned that the festive season normally brings recklessness among road users and that this time around, caution must be exercised to avoid road carnage. The event was held at Namanve, outside Kampala City.

“We are going into Christmas. And if we all avoid road crashes, we should be able to smile. As we approach the festive season, I urge all road users to prioritise safety and reflect on the dangers of road crashes,” he said. Gen Katumba added that there has been an ongoing sensitisation of road users across the country, adding that this year, the focus is on safe vehicles for a safer Uganda. He said, unlike previous years, this year's sensitisation campaigns have been held in various parts of the country, including the painting of zebra crossings.

Kampala at a Crossroads: What New Research Reveals About Mobility, Governance, and the City’s Public Health Risks

Every day in Kampala, millions of people inch through gridlock, dodge swarming boda-bodas threading through narrow gaps in traffic, inhale dangerously polluted air, and walk along streets rarely designed for pedestrians. These conditions, and more, are often dismissed as ordinary transport frustrations. Yet researchers at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) are examining how such everyday realities translate into public health outcomes, shaped not simply by congestion, but by governance, policy, and power. Their work forms part of a multi-country project investigating the political economy of urban mobility in three African cities.

Read more on The Makerere University School of Public Health website.

November 15, 2025January 23, 2026

This Year’s 60km Joe Walker Remembrance Walk Flagged Off

A team of walkers led by journalist and road safety advocate Joseph Beyanga, popularly known as Joe Walker, this morning set off for a 60-kilometre Road Safety Remembrance Walk from Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.

The 2025 Joe Walker Remembrance Relay Walk, organised in a relay format, aims to commemorate lives lost on Uganda’s roads and raise nationwide awareness about the need for safer road practices.

Uganda adopts new approach to road carnage after failing on global target

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Works and Transport is now appealing for support from the public to reduce traffic accident deaths by at least half by 2030.

This is one of the new approaches that Uganda has decided to employ having performed poorly in the first UN-supported global resolution to half the deaths by 2020. Globally, road traffic crashes are the 18th leading cause of death, with more than 1.35 million deaths and up to a 50million injuries recorded every year according to the Global status report on road safety.

More than 40 dead after multi-vehicle crash in Uganda

Forty-six people have been killed after several vehicles crashed on a major highway in Uganda, the police say. The police revised down an earlier death toll of 63, saying they had mistakenly included victims who were unconscious and were now being treated.

The crash occurred when two buses travelling in opposite directions "met head on" while trying to overtake two other vehicles – a lorry and a car – on the Kampala-Gulu Highway at 00:15 local time (21:15 GMT), the Uganda Police Force said.