Kampala City Pushes New Traffic Management Measures as Congestion Intensifies

Kampala,Uganda
City authorities say, phased traffic lights, stricter lane enforcement, and boda-boda stage reorganization are key priorities — but implementation remains the challenge.

Kampala’s traffic jams are more than an inconvenience; they affect commerce, air quality, and daily life. This month, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) reiterated plans to tighten traffic flow control, with new synchronized traffic lights at key junctions and renewed enforcement of designated boda-boda stages.

Urban planners say the issue extends beyond enforcement: road expansion hasn’t kept pace with population growth, and private car ownership is rising faster than the city’s transport infrastructure can support.

Residents also point to boda-bodas as both solution and complication. They move people faster than cars but contribute to unpredictability and lane disorder. Organizing them into official stages could improve safety — if enforcement is consistent.

Public transportation reform remains the long-term fix. Discussions around a Kampala metropolitan bus system and potential commuter train expansion continue, but concrete timelines are still pending.

For many city residents, the question remains less about announcements and more about execution.

“Kampala doesn’t need more traffic plans — it needs the will to enforce the ones it already has.”