Africa-Press – Uganda. The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) says 59 junctions have been fully signalised so far under its traffic-control improvement project, part of a wider plan to upgrade over 200 junctions across the city.
KCCA’s Deputy Executive Director, Kigenyi Benon, told reporters on Friday that, while the signalisation rollout is making steady progress, rising vandalism and the growing number of motorcycles on city roads are undermining traffic management efforts.
“Vandalism in the areas of Kololo and jinja road and irresponsible riding by some motorcycle operators are a big hindrance,” he said.
“That is why we are installing cameras capable of capturing boda‐boda number plates so offenders can be identified and brought to book.”
What KCCA has done and what’s next
•59 junctions fully signalised out of more than 200 targeted junctions.
•KCCA plans to roll out camera systems linked to the traffic control centre to record licence plates and support enforcement against vandalism and traffic offences.
•The authority says the cameras will help deter vandalism and make it easier to trace and sanction offenders.
Traffic growth — the numbers
Traffic trends reported by the city’s traffic control centre show rapid motorisation between 2010 and 2022:
•personal cars increased from ~45,000 units in 2010 to ~220,000 units in 2022 — a relatively steady growth but faster than passenger vehicles in earlier years.
•Motorcycles rose from ~150,000 units in 2010 to ~1,350,000 units in 2022, with growth accelerating since 2015.
The centre’s comparative analysis highlights that motorcycle ownership has risen sharply and presents distinct enforcement challenges compared with passenger cars particularly because many motorcycles are unregistered or operate without visible number plates.
Why it matters
KCCA officials say improved signalisation and camera enforcement are intended to reduce crashes, ease congestion, and curb vandalism of traffic infrastructure.
However, officials acknowledge that hardware alone will not solve the problem: sustained enforcement, community education, and cooperation with police and local leaders will be needed to change rider behaviour and protect road assets.
KCCA plans to begin phased camera installation at key junctions and busy corridors once procurement and technical preparations are finalised. The authority has also invited stakeholders — including motorcycle rider associations and police — to a forum to discuss registration, plate visibility and responsibilities of operators.
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