Road Safety Advocates Embark on Kampala to Gulu Walk to Create Awareness

Road safety advocates, led by Joseph Beyanga, popularly known as Joe Walker, are set to trek from Kampala to Gulu in yet another journey to raise awareness about road safety in Uganda. The 340-kilometer walk, set to begin on February 24, 2025, is expected to last up to ten days under the campaign dubbed "Get Home Safe." The initiative promotes the message that "Safe Roads Save Lives" and encourages Ugandans to be more responsible on the road.

The walk will commence at 6:00 a.m. at the Independence Monument in Kampala and will be flagged off by the Minister of Works and Transport, General Edward Katumba Wamala. This marks another edition of Joe Walker’s road safety campaigns, which have gained momentum over the years through grassroots activism, digital advocacy, and media engagement. "What humbles me is when I am stopped by people while on my walks who say they are now more cautious and careful while on the road," Beyanga stated during the launch of the walk. 

Gulu City was chosen as this year’s destination due to its role as a commercial hub in Northern Uganda. The city is vital for trade and agriculture, connecting local farmers and businesses to both regional and international markets. Ensuring safer roads in and out of Gulu is crucial for economic development and the well-being of its residents. The 2023 Police Report indicates that Uganda loses an average of 14 lives daily to road accidents, registers 70 casualties per day, and spends close to 5 percent of its GDP on accident-related costs. 

Careless overtaking and speeding account for 52 percent of road accidents. The Get Home Safe campaign aims to tackle this crisis by engaging boda-boda riders, school children, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers in discussions about road safety. Through these interactions, the campaign hopes to foster a culture of responsible road use across Uganda. This Kampala-Gulu trek marks the fourth edition of Joe Walker’s road safety walks. 

The previous walks include the inaugural walk from Kampala to Bushenyi in 2022, the "Too Young to Die" walk to Mbale in 2023, highlighting the tragic loss of young lives due to road accidents, and the "Get Home Safe" walk to Fort Portal in 2024, aimed at encouraging responsible driving. According to Beyanga, each of these walks has strengthened the team’s commitment to advocating for safer roads and reducing road traffic deaths.

"The Kampala to Gulu walk in 2025 builds on the previous efforts and aims to make an even greater impact," he added. The journey will include stops in various towns, where the team will engage with local communities on road safety. The planned route takes them from Kampala to Bombo, then Luwero, Nakasongola, Migyera, Kafu, Kigumba, Bweyale, Kamdini, Bobi, and finally Gulu. At each stop, the team will engage community members, local authorities, and road users to spread the message of road safety. 

This campaign aligns with the UN General Assembly’s 2020 declaration to reduce road traffic deaths by 50 percent by 2030. The Kampala-Gulu walk serves as a tangible step toward achieving this goal. Several organizations have pledged support for the initiative, including Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), Jubilee Allianz, Rwenzori Water, NBS TV & Sanyuka TV, Pride Microfinance Limited, Nicole Foundation, and Responsive Drivers Uganda in Gulu. Joe Walker and his team have called upon all Ugandans to participate.

Those unable to join the walk physically can support the cause by sponsoring a walker for UGX 100,000 per day. With road accidents continuing to claim hundreds of lives every month, initiatives like the Get Home Safe Walk play a critical role in raising awareness and pushing for policy change. Through community engagement, advocacy, and responsible road use, Uganda can work towards ensuring that every journey ends with travelers getting home safely.