The Ugandan government has intensified its crackdown targeting unroadworthy commuter taxi vehicles. Spearheaded by Uganda’s Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, the 100-day traffic operation dubbed “Ganyegenya” aims to impound and arrest taxi drivers operating dilapidated vehicles.

The ongoing operation has seen several taxi operators arrested and commuter taxis impounded over severe defects. This has triggered a transport crisis in parts of Kampala, with some passengers turning to train services as an alternative means of transport.

The Ugandan government launched the 100-day crackdown on commuter taxis in an effort to enhance road safety by getting rid of unroadworthy passenger vehicles from the roads. The operation, announced by Uganda’s Minister for Transport Fred Byamukama, called on police to impound commuter taxis that are in unroadworthy conditions.

Byamukama said that the Ugandan government is targeting substandard vehicles that put the lives of passengers at risk. “Some of these taxis are beyond repair,” Byamukama said. Byamukama further linked old commuter taxi vehicles to robbery incidents, noting that some are abandoned by owners and later sold to people who use them to commit crimes.

Speaking to journalists in Kampala, the Uganda Minister for Transport stated that enforcing order in the transport sector is urgent to curb road carnage and protect passengers. Byamukama further emphasized that public safety will not be compromised for political reasons.

The crackdown targeting commuter taxi vehicles across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area follows incidents of increased road accidents and cases of hijacking and robbery linked to old taxi vehicles.

A fresh push by Uganda’s Ministry of Transport to enforce strict road safety measures follows several previous failed attempts. Some of the proposals that previously faced resistance include banning unroadworthy or old commuter taxi vehicles and enforcing strict vehicle inspection standards.