Police have arrested a driver who was found transporting 15 passengers in a vehicle licensed to carry only seven, raising fresh concerns about road safety and passenger responsibility in Uganda.
According to Michael Kananura, the driver attempted to evade law enforcement by dodging checkpoints but was eventually tracked down through intelligence operations.
Kananura said the vehicle was dangerously overcrowded, forcing some passengers into unsafe positions.
“Imagine carrying passengers beyond capacity to the extent that a man is forced to carry a woman he does not even know, all in the name of excess loading,” he said.
He added that the passengers boarded the vehicle despite the obvious risk and did not alert authorities or refuse to travel in the overloaded car.
“It is good that the driver of this vehicle, carrying 15 passengers instead of the permitted seven and dodging police checkpoints, has been tracked through intelligence and is now detained pending court to answer several traffic-related charges,” Kananura said.
The driver is currently in police custody and is expected to be arraigned in court to face multiple charges related to traffic violations.
The police spokesperson reminded the public that road safety is a shared responsibility between drivers and passengers.
“As we urge drivers to act responsibly, passengers must also speak out. Accepting to travel in an overloaded vehicle puts every life at risk,” he said.
Authorities say passengers should refuse to board unsafe vehicles and report reckless drivers, noting that speaking out could help prevent road accidents and save lives.
