Uganda Professional Drivers Network

20/05/2026

On 19th May, 2026, Uganda Professional Drivers Network joined the nation in commemorating Candle Light Memorial Day at Kitante Hill Secondary School Grounds, Kololo, under the theme: “Ending AIDS by 2030: Embracing the Role of Women.”
We remembered the lives lost to AIDS, stood in solidarity with people living with HIV, and recommitted to ending stigma while expanding access to prevention, testing, treatment, care and support.
Through the UPDN DerevaWellness Road Side Stop Station (RSSS) Model, UPDN continues to promote driver-friendly, stigma-free and integrated health services for professional drivers, mobile transport workers and surrounding communities. The model brings HIV prevention, counselling, testing, treatment linkage, referrals, health education, WASH and safe rest support closer to transport corridors and truck stop points where drivers live, work and move.
As we honour the role of women in ending AIDS, we also recognise their leadership as caregivers, health workers, peer educators, mothers, partners and champions of community resilience.
Together, we remember. We act. We end stigma.

19/05/2026

During the continuous professional development training sessions, Afande Michael Kananura highlighted the most crash-prone days and hours cautioning drivers to remain vigilant while on the roads.

“It is important to note that the days on which we record the highest number of fatalities are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Every driver should keep this in mind and I believe many understand why these particular days are risky,” he said.

He explained that weekends are often associated with alcohol consumption which contributes significantly to road crashes.

“These days are linked to drunkenness because it is the weekend. We investigate every crash that occurs and it is disappointing that alcohol is often the major cause for the weekend crashes” Kananura noted.

He further revealed that the highest number of fatal crashes is recorded between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (1800hrs–2000hrs) urging motorists to exercise extra caution during those hours.

Kananura emphasized that road safety is a shared responsibility, adding that while drivers often accuse police of corruption, in many cases the vice is initiated by motorists themselves.

'Be extra careful in these crash prone days, hours and as well let's stop bribing our traffic police' Afande Kananura concluded.

18/05/2026

During the weekend's Continuous Professional Development training for fleet operators working with TotalEnergies under Q-Sourcing Servtec, Afande Michael Kananura emphasized the need for greater caution on the roads, noting that vulnerable road users account for nearly 85% of road crash victims.

He explained that everyone is at some point, a vulnerable road user because even motorists are pedestrians at different times.

"This calls for respect for all road users because we are all vulnerable. Most drivers have school-going children which means we are directly connected to vulnerable road users,” he said.

Afande Kananura noted that the highest number of crashes involving vulnerable road users is recorded within the Kampala Metropolitan Area, among other regions. According to road safety statistics, Uganda loses lives to road crashes every hour.

He questioned where the problem lies and pointed to two major causes of Uganda's road crashes: SPEEDING AND CARELESS OVERTAKING.

"Many drivers do this knowingly or unknowingly, often thinking, ‘I have driven like this for over 30 years and nothing harmful has happened.' That mindset contributes significantly to crashes,” he said.

He explained that many fatal crashes occur when a driver overtakes another vehicle and collides head-on with an oncoming vehicle, often resulting in multiple deaths.

"Every time I speak about crashes, it is the same story, a driver overtaking carelessly, meeting an oncoming vehicle, leading to a fatal head-on collision. I always caution drivers to be careful while overtaking but unfortunately the following day, we hear of another crash caused by the same reckless behavior,” he added.

Afande Kananura stressed that human behavior contributes to about 95% of road crashes, noting that even when factors such as potholes are blamed, speeding is often still an underlying cause.

17/05/2026

UNTIL EVERY ROAD USER BECOMES SAFE IN UGANDA.

We today continued with another cohort of Professional Drivers working with TOTAL Energies under -Sourcing Servtec for another session of their yearly Continuous Professional Development Training at Eliana Hotel, Ntinda.

This needs' based (CPD) training is designed to strengthen drivers’ professional competencies, enhance workplace performance and keep them updated on emerging trends in the road transport sector; Effective and Efficient fleet and driver management best practices.

At UPDN, we remain committed to continuous learning by consistently organizing capacity-building programs that improve drivers’ skills, knowledge, attitude and experience to support safer transport operations, and help organizations effectively manage transport-related costs related to ineffective fleet and driver management systems and structures.


Empowered Drivers Safer Roads

15/05/2026

Uganda Professional Drivers Network is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Dereva Road Safety Chat: Compliance with Road Safety Standards & Other Safe Driving Practices.
Time: May 15, 2026 10:00 AM Nairobi
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Meeting ID: 889 7416 7508
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15/05/2026

As the swearing-in exercise for Members of Parliament concludes today, we call upon all leaders, supporters and the general public to celebrate responsibly.

Victory parties and gatherings should be conducted with calm, discipline and respect for other road users and communities. We strongly discourage reckless driving, unnecessary congestion, noise pollution and any acts that may endanger lives.

Leadership comes with responsibility. Let us uphold peace, order and unity as we mark the end of this important national exercise.

12/05/2026

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.
On 10 May 2026, Uganda Professional Drivers' Network - UPDN ( Uganda Professional Drivers Network ) continued its Continuous Professional Development (CPD) engagement with QSLUganda fleet operators supporting TotalEnergies operations in Uganda.
Discussions with drivers and facilitators highlighted SPEEDING as the leading road safety threat in Uganda, alongside growing concerns around driver fatigue, difficult working conditions, driver welfare, and wellness.
According to the Uganda Traffic Police Annual Crime Report 2025 shared during the session, about 15 people lose their lives daily on Uganda’s roads, with nearly half of road crashes linked to speeding and careless overtaking.
The engagement emphasized that effective speed management, stronger fleet safety systems, driver wellness, and responsible road use can significantly reduce deaths and injuries on our roads.
UPDN appreciates the continued collaboration of traffic police leadership, fleet operators, and stakeholders working towards safer roads for all road users.
We also continue to call for the fast-tracking and implementation of the updated Road Safety (Prescription of Speed Limits) Regulations 2024 and the Uganda Speed Management Guidelines.

11/05/2026

At Uganda Professional Drivers Network , we keep insisting that if our drivers want to be recognized, consulted, meaningfully involved and adequately catered for, then they must first focus on EMPOWERING OURSELVES.
Practicing drivers must first do something for themselves, especially by building strong financial safety nets through a strong National Drivers’ SACCO (Dereva SACCO), leveraging their numbers.
Even with each member contributing as little as UGX 1,000 per day, this can grow into a backbone for a sustainable livelihood empowerment agenda.

DO NOT MISREPRESENT OUR OPINION: We do not, in any way, downplay the fact that most practicing drivers are underpaid, with less than 20% in formal employment. However, we also strongly believe that the driving profession in Uganda is not the worst-paying job in the country such that each of us (drivers), whether informally or formally employed, cannot manage to save even UGX 1,000 per day.

The minimum wage most of us (commercial/professional drivers) keep demanding and advocating for is currently not feasible, especially when driving is not yet recognized as a vocational skill under a clear qualification framework.
“Twebelelemu blood, kisoboka.”
What do you say about this opinion? We want to hear from you.
EMPOWERED DRIVERS, SAFER ROADS.

08/05/2026

At Uganda Professional Drivers Network , we continue to receive valuable feedback from both drivers and employers on the growing concern of road crashes in Uganda. One message clearly stands out from the feedback shared by Dan Daniels Mds of Truckers Voice Uganda: Improving road safety requires partnership not blame.

Our Drivers are calling for better working conditions, fair schedules, proper vehicle maintenance and support for their welfare. Employers on the other hand continue to emphasize the need for disciplined and professionally well-trained drivers.

The reality is that both our drivers and their employers have a shared responsibility in building a safer and stronger road transport sector.

UPDN remains committed to bridging this
Happy end of the week to all our drivers, transporters, driver employers, road transport stakeholders and you our road users

As UPDN, we continue to receive valuable feedback from the public through our social media platforms on the growing public concerns of the increasing road crashes in Uganda. 15killed everyday on our roads and over 40 sustaining serious injuries usually leading to abrupt physical disability. One message clearly stands out from the feedback shared by Dan Daniels Mds of Truckers Voice Uganda: Improving road safety requires partnership not blame.

Drivers are calling for better working conditions, fair schedules (JMPs), proper vehicle maintenance and support for their welfare. Employers on the other hand continue to emphasize the need for disciplined, Routine Tailored Continuous Professional Development (CPD) trainings for a healthy, financially independent and a professionally well-trained practicing drivers.

The reality is that both drivers and employers have a shared responsibility in building a safer and stronger road transport sector in Uganda.

UPDN remains committed to bridging this gap through tailored workplace needs based continuous professional development training engagements aiming at promoting improved road safety standards for all our stakeholders.

As we head into the weekend, we remind you that weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) remain among the most crash-prone days on our roads according to Uganda Police Force data.

We therefore call upon all road users to plan our journeys to avoid rushing (SPEEDING & CARELESS OVERTAKING) among other reckless and careless Driver behaviors, drive responsibly, respect traffic signs, road markings among other traffic rules and regulations prioritising personal safety and life above everything else.

Safe roads save lives. EMPOWERED DRIVERS SAFER ROADS We want to continue hearing from you as well as wishing you a safe, restful and rewarding Weekend ahead of the upcoming swearing in Week for our President and the recently elected Members of the 12th Parliament Do not be part of the statistics....

08/05/2026

WHO IS FOOLING WHO, and what do you advise us as a strategic solution to this challenge?
Drivers usually insist that, besides focusing on them, Uganda Professional Drivers Network should also engage their employers, whose management styles they blame for the increasing road crashes and the resulting challenges they face.

On the other hand, during our continued engagements with transporters and driver employers, many argue that “finding a professional driver in Uganda is a nightmare.”
We would like to hear your views on how best these two important stakeholders in the road transport sector can be mediated for improved road transport in Uganda.

07/05/2026

As part of our ongoing continuous professional development training program for practicing/commercial/professional drivers; our CDP training experts from Uganda Professional Drivers Network are conducting a 2 Days' engagement session for UCC drivers aimed at equipping them with essential driver work ethics, driving expertise (experience), skills and knowledge not to only keep them employable but to enable them keep their institutional fleets, staff and other road users safe.

Our CPD training sessions goes beyond road safety and defensive driving to driver health and wellness (mental wellness, discipline and financial independence/alternative livelihood, personal health) among professional/commercial/practicing drivers in a bid to promote professionalism and responsible driving in Uganda.