The fourth edition of the Road Safety Marathon was officially launched on Monday May 12 at the Uganda Media Centre by State Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama.
This comes in the wake of the alarming rise in road accidents across the country.
Scheduled for May 31, 2025, the marathon will start and end at Old Kampala Senior Secondary School.
Organized by the Legacy Road Safety Initiative, the event is expected to draw over 2,000 participants, with at least 500 runners already registered.
The marathon will feature 21km, 10km, and 5km race categories, alongside a cycling event, all mapped through various parts of Kampala. Winners will receive medals and special prizes.
The road safety marathon comes against the backdrop of grim road safety statistics.
According to the 2023 Annual Crime and Road Safety Report, Uganda recorded a 16% increase in road crashes, from 20,394 in 2022 to 23,608 in 2023.
In 2024 alone, over 5,000 people died in road-related incidents, while more than 1,700 sustained life-changing injuries.
Police data indicates that human error, including speeding, reckless driving, and drunk driving, remains the leading cause of these accidents.
Speaking at the launch, Richard Young Owere, Chief Executive Officer of the Legacy Road Safety Initiative, said proceeds from the marathon will support trauma care services for road crash victims.
“Improving trauma care for road crash victims by supporting the first respondents with training and care skills on how to save more lives, unlike others who rush to steal their properties instead of saving lives,” Owere said.
