The October 18 operation, code-named Kawunyemu, targeted motorists across nine Kampala Metropolitan Police stations, with Katwe recording the highest number of arrests.
KAMPALA.- Traffic police in Uganda arrested 124 drivers during a drink-driving crackdown across nine police stations in the Kampala Metropolitan Police area on October 18, 2026, as authorities intensified efforts to curb road crashes linked to driving under the influence of alcohol.
The operation, code-named Kawunyemu, was conducted by the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety in partnership with Kampala Metropolitan Police. The arrests were recorded in Katwe, Kampala Central Police Station (CPS), Kabalagala, Nsangi, Kawempe, Old Kampala, Nansana, Jinja Road and Kiira Road.
Katwe registered the highest number of arrests, with 24 drivers taken into custody, followed by Kawempe with 18 and Nansana with 16. Kabalagala and Old Kampala each recorded 14 arrests, while Kampala Central Police Station registered 13.
Jinja Road accounted for 12 arrests, while Kiira Road recorded seven and Nsangi six, bringing the total to 124 drivers across the nine stations.
The operation highlights the continued enforcement challenge posed by drink-driving in the Kampala metropolitan area, where traffic congestion, high vehicle volumes and the movement of pedestrians and other road users make road safety a major public concern.
The figures provided indicate the scale of enforcement during the operation. However, no additional details were provided on the identities of the arrested drivers, the specific alcohol-test results, the charges filed or the number of motorists subsequently taken to court.
Breakdown of arrests by police station
The distribution of arrests shows that the operation covered several parts of the metropolitan policing area, with Katwe, Kawempe and Nansana accounting for the largest numbers.
| Police station | Drivers arrested |
|---|---|
| Katwe | 24 |
| Kawempe | 18 |
| Nansana | 16 |
| Kabalagala | 14 |
| Old Kampala | 14 |
| Kampala Central Police Station | 13 |
| Jinja Road | 12 |
| Kiira Road | 7 |
| Nsangi | 6 |
| Total | 124 |
Katwe accounted for approximately 19.4% of all arrests recorded during the operation, making it the leading station in the crackdown. Kawempe represented about 14.5%, while Nansana accounted for approximately 12.9%.
Together, the three stations recorded 58 arrests, representing nearly 47% of the total.
These figures reflect the distribution of arrests during this particular enforcement exercise. They do not, on their own, establish that the areas with the highest arrest numbers had the highest rates of drink-driving or road crashes. Such a conclusion would require additional information, including the number of motorists screened at each location, the duration of enforcement and the number of positive alcohol tests.
Drink-driving enforcement and road safety
Drink-driving remains a road safety concern because alcohol can impair a motorist’s judgment, reaction time, coordination and ability to respond to changing road conditions.
A driver affected by alcohol may struggle to maintain a safe distance, recognise hazards, judge the speed of approaching vehicles or respond quickly when a pedestrian enters the road. These risks can be particularly serious in busy urban environments, where motorists share limited road space with pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, public transport vehicles and commercial traffic.
Uganda Police has previously identified drink-driving as a risk factor in road crashes and highlighted several roads in and around Kampala for enforcement against traffic violations. In an earlier account of its Fika Salama Extra operation, police listed Jinja Road and Kiira Road among routes where alcohol-related crash risks had attracted enforcement attention.
The inclusion of Jinja Road and Kiira Road in the October 18 Kawunyemu operation therefore places the latest crackdown within a broader pattern of traffic enforcement aimed at improving road safety.
However, the available information does not establish whether the 124 arrests were made following crashes, routine roadside checks, breathalyser tests or other forms of police assessment. It also does not specify the precise circumstances surrounding individual arrests.
What Uganda’s law says about driving under the influence
Uganda’s Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998, as amended, provides for offences involving driving with a blood-alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit.
Section 111 addresses driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle when the alcohol concentration in a driver’s blood or breath exceeds the legally prescribed limit. The provision sets out penalties that, upon conviction, may include a fine of up to 300 currency points, imprisonment for up to three years, or both. The law also provides for vehicle impoundment in circumstances covered by the provision.
The Ministry of Works and Transport also lists the Traffic and Road Safety (Prohibited Drugs and Alcohol Limit) Regulations, 2023, among the country’s traffic and road safety regulations.
The legal framework is intended to support enforcement against motorists whose alcohol consumption exceeds the prescribed limit and to reduce the danger they pose to other road users.
Nevertheless, an arrest should not automatically be treated as a conviction. The available information does not say how many of the 124 drivers were formally charged, whether they appeared in court or whether any were convicted. Those outcomes would need to be confirmed by police or court records before being reported.
The distinction is important for accurate reporting and for protecting the rights of people who have been arrested but whose cases have not been determined by a court.
Road crash statistics underline the challenge
The latest crackdown comes amid continuing concerns about road crashes in Uganda.
According to the Uganda Police Force’s 2025 Annual Crime Report, police recorded 26,044 road traffic crashes in 2025, compared with 25,107 in 2024, representing an increase of 3.7%.
Of the crashes recorded in 2025, 4,602 were fatal, 13,563 were serious and 7,879 were minor, according to the report. Fatal crashes also rose from 4,434 in 2024 to 4,602 in 2025.
The figures demonstrate the continuing scale of Uganda’s road safety challenge, although they do not establish how many crashes were directly caused by alcohol. The available national statistics should therefore be considered separately from the 124 arrests recorded during the Kawunyemu operation.
Road safety requires action against several risk factors, including speeding, reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, distracted driving and failure to observe traffic regulations. Enforcement against drink-driving is one part of a broader effort to reduce crashes and protect lives.
For Kampala, where road users encounter congestion and frequent interactions between vehicles and pedestrians, compliance with traffic regulations is particularly important. A single driver’s impaired judgment can endanger passengers, other motorists and people who are not directly involved in the journey.
The importance of sustained enforcement
The number of arrests recorded during Kawunyemu raises questions about how consistently drink-driving laws are enforced and whether roadside operations can achieve lasting changes in motorists’ behaviour.
Crackdowns can remove suspected offenders from the road while police investigate alleged violations. They can also remind motorists that alcohol-related traffic offences may attract legal consequences.
However, the long-term impact of an operation cannot be measured by arrests alone. Relevant indicators include the number of drivers screened, the proportion who test above the prescribed alcohol limit, the number of cases successfully prosecuted and trends in alcohol-related crashes after enforcement.
Publishing these details would help the public assess the effectiveness of the operation and understand whether enforcement resources are reaching the areas where they are most needed.
Public education is another important component. Motorists need to understand that the safest option after consuming alcohol is to avoid driving and arrange alternative transport. Passengers can also play a role by declining to travel with drivers they believe may be impaired.
Employers operating fleets, public transport providers and commercial vehicle owners can reinforce road safety through clear policies against drink-driving and by ensuring drivers have safe alternatives when they are unfit to operate vehicles.
The police operation also provides an opportunity to remind motorists that compliance with traffic laws is not simply a matter of avoiding arrest. It is a responsibility that extends to everyone using public roads.
Questions remain about the next steps
Although police recorded 124 arrests on October 18, further information is needed to establish the full outcome of the operation.
Details that would help complete the public record include the number of motorists subjected to alcohol testing, the number who tested above the prescribed limit, the charges brought against those arrested and whether any vehicles were impounded.
Information on subsequent court proceedings would also help clarify how the cases were handled under the law.
No direct statement from a named police spokesperson was included in the information available for this report. Accordingly, no official quotations have been added, and the reasons for the differences in arrest numbers between stations cannot be conclusively established from the figures alone.
Conclusion
The arrest of 124 drivers during Uganda’s Kawunyemu drink-driving crackdown highlights the scale of traffic enforcement undertaken across the Kampala Metropolitan Police area on October 18, 2026.
With Katwe recording 24 arrests, followed by Kawempe with 18 and Nansana with 16, the operation covered nine police stations in an effort to address the risks associated with motorists driving under the influence of alcohol.
The broader road safety challenge requires more than periodic arrests. Consistent enforcement, public awareness, compliance with the law and transparent reporting of outcomes will be important in assessing whether such operations contribute to safer roads.
For motorists, the message is straightforward: anyone who has consumed alcohol should not drive. Choosing alternative transport can help protect passengers, pedestrians and other road users from preventable harm.
