MPIGI.
A pedestrian was killed on Tuesday morning in a road traffic crash involving Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba along the Kampala–Masaka highway, police said.
According to Michael Kananura ,the Traffic police spokesperson the incident occurred at around 8:30 a.m. at Kibukula Swamp”, a known accident-prone section of the busy highway linking Kampala to central and southwestern Uganda.
The crash involved a government vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado registration UBR 811D, which struck a pedestrian identified as Flavia Batera, a resident of Kyengera.
She died on the spot.
Kananura said the “cause of the accident is being investigated.”
Images from the scene show the black Prado with severe front-end damage.
The bonnet is crumpled inward, the right headlight assembly shattered, and the front bumper partially dislodged.
The impact is concentrated on the front-right side, with exposed internal components and a dented grille, indicating a high-force collision.
Police said both the driver and Nabakooba sustained minor injuries and were rushed to Nkozi Hospital for treatment before being discharged.
“The body of the deceased was conveyed to Gombe Hospital Mortuary for postmortem examination, while the vehicle was towed and is currently parked at the police station pending inspection,” Kananura said, adding that investigations are ongoing.
The incident adds to Uganda’s growing road safety concerns.
According to figures presented by Director of Traffic and Road Safety Lawrence Nuwabiine, the country recorded 26,044 road crashes in 2025, up from 25,107 in 2024.
Fatal crashes rose to 4,602 from 4,434, while total deaths increased from 5,144 to more than 5,300.
“Males constitute 83% of all road traffic fatalities, while females account for only 17%,” Nuwabiine said.
Police have partly attributed the rise in crashes to a 29.4% increase in vehicle numbers, reflecting rapid motorisation that has outpaced enforcement and road safety controls.
Young people remain the most affected, with those aged under 35 accounting for 56.2% of fatalities. “The high number of fatalities among young drivers is largely due to incompetence and risky behaviour,” the report said.
The Kampala–Masaka highway has repeatedly been flagged by authorities as a high-risk corridor, with speeding, heavy traffic and unsafe pedestrian crossings among the leading causes of accidents