The jam was described by motorists as the worst ever in Uganda’s motoring history
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The President’s office has disowned suggestions that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s convoy was responsible for the massive traffic jam that paralysed sections of the Kampala–Masaka Road, describing such claims as misleading and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, State House said it had taken note of “false claims” attributing the gridlock experienced from Monday afternoon through the night to presidential movements. While acknowledging the inconvenience suffered by motorists, officials insisted it was inaccurate to blame the President’s convoy for the disruption.
“For clarity, very limited and time-bound road closures during Presidential movements are standard operating procedures world over and are carefully coordinated to minimise disruption,” the statement said. It added that in this particular incident, several other factors were largely responsible for the congestion.
According to a statement from State House, heavy end-of-month traffic as travelers returned to Kampala from upcountry holidays significantly increased pressure on the highway. Poor road discipline by some motorists, who ignored traffic rules and created multiple lanes, further worsened the situation. In addition, a heavy downpour reduced visibility, forcing some drivers to temporarily stop along the road as they waited for the rain to subside.
Officials also pointed out that similar overnight delays were recorded along the same route around the same period last year, when there were no presidential campaigns or major political activities in the area, underscoring that the problem is recurrent rather than political.
The Ministry of Works and Transport acknowledged the severity of the congestion and on Tuesday morning advised motorists to use alternative routes to ease pressure on the Kampala–Masaka highway.
“Dear motorists, the existing travel alternatives including Mpigi–Kasanji–Nakawuka to Entebbe/Kampala and Mpigi–Kanoni–Gomba–Ssembabule–Villamaria for traffic heading to Masaka are beginning to offer some traffic relief,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that Traffic Police had been deployed to ensure a steadier flow of vehicles.
However, several road users blamed the gridlock on political rallies held in Butambala and Mpigi on Monday, arguing that roadside gatherings compounded the already heavy traffic. National Unity Platform (NUP) spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi claimed that President Museveni’s rally in Mpigi led to road closures and prolonged stoppages.
“Aside from his rally in Mpigi yesterday which caused the closure of roads and disrupted traffic, he also sat right in the middle of the road to speak to people while a very busy road was closed on both ends,” Ssenyonyi said.
Government officials rejected these assertions, saying there was no congestion at the rally venue. One senior official said President Museveni discourages the blocking of main roads during campaigns and allows vehicles to continue moving even during roadside engagements. The official added that the President left Mpigi by air at about 6 p.m. on Monday, ruling out any prolonged convoy-related road closures.
The Ministry of Works apologised to motorists for the delays and urged drivers to maintain lane discipline. Traffic gradually eased later on Tuesday morning after hours of disruption that affected Mpigi, Butambala and neighbouring districts, leaving thousands of travelers stranded overnight.
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