Police have started enforcing a ministerial order on a 100-day crackdown on dangerous commuter taxis operating on Kampala metropolitan roads.
The operation started Monday, August 24, following a directive by Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama to remove public service vehicles operating in dangerous mechanical condition from the roads.
Traffic spokesman Micheal Kananura says traffic officers will inspect taxis suspected of being in dangerous mechanical condition, with offending vehicles to be impounded and taken to designated yards for further inspection.
He warns taxi owners who think they can escape the operation by hiding their vehicles in areas with less police presence.
Police say they are targeting taxis with dangerous defects involving brakes, steering, tyres, doors, seats and body structures.
He revealed that officers have encountered shocking cases, including taxis with doors tied together with ropes, badly worn tyres and damaged seats.
Police have also seen vehicles with dangerous fuel systems and taxis where passengers are forced to help carry or support doors.
In one bizarre case,Kananura said officers encountered a vehicle where a person was holding the steering wheel from another side while passengers were inside. “These vehicles do exist,” he warned.
Police say the crackdown comes amid serious road safety concerns in Kampala.
Kananura said Kampala Metropolitan Police recorded 1,183 road crash deaths in 2025, the highest number recorded by any police metropolitan area in the country.
He said pedestrians, motorcycle riders and passengers remain among the most vulnerable road users.
In nationwide enforcement operations last week, police arrested 398 drivers for driving vehicles in dangerous mechanical condition. Others were arrested for dangerous loading, careless driving and illegal vehicle modifications.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has also reported that about 60 targeted PSVs inspected in the previous two weeks failed to meet required safety standards.
Police stressed that the operation is not a ban on taxis. He said police recognise the important role taxis play in transporting Ugandans and supporting the economy.
The target,he said, is only vehicles that are mechanically unsafe. Owners of roadworthy, properly licensed, inspected and compliant vehicles have nothing to fear.
Police are also asking passengers to reject dangerous taxis and report them by giving police their registration numbers and locations.
Police and the Ministry of Works and Transport have also stepped up surprise operations along major highways. Recent joint operations were conducted at Maya-Nsanji on the Kampala-Masaka Highway and Matugga along the Kampala-Gulu Highway.
Officers checked mechanical condition, driving licences, badges, route charts, passenger numbers, dangerous loading and other violations.
Several drivers were arrested, including heavy truck drivers allegedly driving outside their licensed classes. Some taxi operators were also caught carrying more passengers than permitted, while private motorists were arrested for other offences.
Police say compliant vehicles are allowed to continue their journeys, while offenders face enforcement action.
The message from police is simple , a vehicle that is not mechanically safe has no business carrying passengers.
