KAMPALA HONORED IN GLOBAL ROAD SAFETY AWARDS FOR CUTTING URBAN SPEED LIMITS

Kampala has been recognized on the global stage for its commitment to saving lives on the road, earning a Bronze Award in the inaugural Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) Speed Challenge.

The competition, which ran from June 2023 to March 2025, honored eight cities worldwide for successfully adopting and enforcing the World Health Organization’s recommended speed limits — below 50 km/h in urban areas and below 30 km/h in high-risk zones such as schools and hospitals. Kampala stood out for its bold steps to strengthen national road safety regulations, implementing a 30 km/h limit in both school zones and city roads, and for installing raised pedestrian crossings near 20 schools to protect children and other vulnerable road users.

“This achievement reflects our collective commitment to safer streets, and we are grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for their continued partnership. Their support has enabled us to pair policy with strong implementation, saving lives and setting an example for other cities.” Noted Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago

The Kampala Annual Road Safety Report 2024, developed from police crash records highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in the city’s road safety efforts. Reported fatalities fell from 411 in 2023 to 404 in 2024, reducing the death rate from 10.6 to 9.9 per 100,000 population. However, the total number of crashes increased by 12.6%, signaling the need for continued and targeted interventions.

The World Bank estimates that speeding causes nearly half of the world’s 1.19 million annual traffic deaths, with Africa carrying a disproportionately heavy burden. Kampala’s interventions mark a major stride in reversing this trend.

“Speeding kills 1,600 people every day. In fact, it’s a leading cause of preventable injuries and deaths worldwide,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and the 108th mayor of New York City. “For nearly two decades, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety has worked with our partners to save lives in countries around the world. Now, through the Speed Challenge, we’re shining a spotlight on the most effective actions of winning cities – and the urgent need for more to follow their lead.”

Kampala joins global peers Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Bogotá (Colombia), which won Gold, and cities like Bengaluru (India) and Buenos Aires (Argentina), which earned Silver. The awards come with grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 to further scale interventions. Kampala’s Bronze Award secures $50,000, which will be channelled into expanding speed management and road safety programs.

Bloomberg Philanthropies, which has supported road safety initiatives in more than 50 cities since 2007, estimates that its interventions worldwide have saved over 900,000 lives. Kampala’s recognition affirms the city’s growing role in this global movement.

With new funding and renewed momentum, Kampala’s leaders say the city will continue to prioritize safer streets for all road users, especially children, pedestrians, and commuters.