In a decisive move to restore order and public safety, the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) has launched a crackdown on car bond operators and dealers who have illegally occupied the road reserve along the Nakawa–Banda–Kireka stretch of the Kampala–Jinja Highway.
Effective Friday, June 27, 2025, all affected operators have been given a 30-day grace period to voluntarily vacate the road reserve or face forcible eviction.
According to the Ministry, the illegal occupation has not only defied Section 16(1) of the Roads Act, 2019, but has also become a major source of traffic congestion, drainage blockages, and safety hazards along one of Uganda’s most critical national road corridors.
The directive, issued through a public notice signed by Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa, outlines clear consequences; if the car dealers fail to vacate within the 30-day window, the government will demolish and remove all illegal structures at the owners’ cost.
Authorities have singled out the car bonds for choking off road space, turning what should be a free-flowing dual carriageway into a bottleneck, particularly during rush hours.
The constant movement of vehicles in and out of these informal setups, often with no adherence to road safety guidelines, has also placed pedestrians and other motorists at risk.
But it’s not just about congestion the illegal activity has disrupted vital drainage infrastructure.
Water, blocked by makeshift bond facilities and dumped materials, now routinely floods sections of the road during rains, further compounding the problem.
The enforcement drive signals a tougher stance from the Ministry as it seeks to protect national infrastructure from private misuse.
The Kampala–Jinja Highway serves as a major trade route linking the capital to eastern Uganda and beyond, and officials say restoring it to full operational efficiency is a matter of national priority.