As early as the fifth day of the New Year 2026, nearly every citizen in this country who has ventured outside their homes and spent more than 30 minutes on any registered road has encountered a squad of uniformed security personnel.
This presence has been presented to Ugandans as a measure to ensure security during the political season. However, I sincerely hope that these squads will have dissipated by the start of next month; otherwise, they may contribute to an increase in pedestrian injuries, especially the fatal outcomes. Consider the experience of crossing Jinja Road from Banda to Mukono Wantoni. Anyone who has attempted this crossing would agree that it typically takes about five minutes to find a moment of safety if you’re on your own, and at least three minutes if you’re with a group.
Picture the feeling of anticipation as you scan the road left and right repeatedly, waiting for a safe opportunity to cross. Just when you think you’ve found a moment to proceed and make it halfway, you encounter a squad of security personnel blocking the path. Now you face a decision: wait for 10 seconds for them to pass, but be aware that if you pause for more than two seconds, you risk being hit by passing traffic. Additionally, if you manage to cross and happen to find yourself within their squad, there’s a significant risk you might be subjected to abuse, as these persons may not consider the precarious situation you’ve just navigated to save yourself from harm.
The other scenario would be on any road in an urban centre, especially in the central region of the country, where there is a horde of cars and bodabodas, with the pedestrian walkways which are non-existent or even the few that get parked on by cars and boda boda stages. A pedestrian heading towards their destination may find themselves compelled to step into the lane reserved for cars and motorcycles. If, while navigating this space, they suddenly encounter a squad of armed security personnel moving towards them, the situation becomes more precarious. Many individuals will instinctively feel the need to move further into the road to allow space for these uniformed individuals, thereby aggravating their safety risks.
At the same time, drivers and motorcycle riders are likely to feel the impulse to slow down and apply their brakes when they see armed security personnel ahead, in contrast to how they might react to ordinary pedestrians. This situation is exacerbated if the pedestrian is on the left side of the road, facing the direction they are travelling. In conclusion, to protect the lives of ordinary citizens in this country, these foot patrols should be halted by early February. If not, more pedestrians will continue to be at risk on our roads. Similar to the air and rail transport industries globally, any minor issue that could affect safe travel is addressed with great seriousness. The same level of concern should be applied to road traffic injuries in this nation if we are to see a significant decrease in incidents.