GULU ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN BRINGS ROAD USERS TOGETHER TO PROMOTE SAFER ROADS

Stakeholders pose for a group photo after a fruitful activity

By Biko Rombe

Gulu City

Road users in Gulu City have been urged to embrace personal responsibility, patience and respect for one another as part of efforts to reduce road crashes and save lives.

The call was made on Saturday, September 19, 2026, during the second activity of the Gulu Safe Roads Campaign 2026, which brought together motorists, boda boda riders, cyclists, skaters, pedestrians, traffic police, Red Cross volunteers, pupils and other stakeholders for a practical demonstration of safe road use.

The activity, led by GEN Community Initiative, involved a 10-kilometre movement through the streets of Gulu City to demonstrate how different categories of road users can safely share the road.

Speaking during the activity, Gulu Safe Roads Campaign lead and medical doctor Eric Ssennuni said the exercise was designed to demonstrate safe coexistence among road users rather than simply discuss road safety in a controlled environment.

He said the campaign brings together different stakeholders because road safety is a collective responsibility, adding that the initiative also focuses on saving lives and limbs during the “Golden Hour” following a road crash.

Dr. Eric Ssennuni having a practical session on how to administer first aid

Ssennuni also demonstrated basic first-aid skills that road users can use when they encounter injured people before professional help arrives. He encouraged participants to pass on the skills they had acquired to others and make road safety part of their everyday culture.

The campaign is being supported by BCI Pharmaceuticals, Piwan Medical Center and Ajanta Pharma, with partners including ARR Media, ReadyCross, Traffic Police, Magina Media, Radio Pacis, Gulu West Boda Boda Association and other stakeholders.

The Officer in Charge of Traffic at Gulu Central Police Station, ASP Niwagaba Bruno, said Gulu’s roads accommodate a wide range of users, including heavy trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, skaters, pedestrians and animals, requiring greater awareness and caution from everyone.

Niwagaba identified impatience and poor journey planning among the behaviours contributing to road crashes. He urged road users to plan their journeys early, remain patient and respect other users instead of rushing to reach their destinations.

He said pedestrians remain among the most vulnerable road users and called on motorists and other road users to consider their safety.

“Whenever you are using the road, be conscious at your own level. The moment you are safe, you will make other people safe too,” Niwagaba said.

The campaign also included first-aid demonstrations aimed at equipping participants with basic skills to respond to road crash victims while waiting for emergency assistance.

Gift Young Kidega, a Red Cross official attached to the ambulance team, said the organisation plays an important role during road traffic emergencies and welcomed the public’s interest in learning road safety and first-aid skills.

he encouraged road users to be patient and said the Red Cross provides training packages for people interested in gaining more practical skills in emergency response.

At Gulu Town Primary School, the school’s headteacher, Margaret Latigo Adoch, said promoting road safety was particularly important for protecting children who travel to and from school.

She appealed to motorists and boda boda riders to reduce speed around schools and avoid overloading motorcycles with children.

The pupils also participated in the practical activities. Atem Chioma, a Primary Six pupil, said she had learned basic first-aid procedures, including how to position an injured person, protect the neck and respond to injuries while waiting for assistance.

She urged road users to follow traffic signs and avoid speeding, particularly around schools.

 Road users during the 10km ride within the city

Komakech Eddy, CEO of Gulu Bicycle Club, said the practical nature of the campaign helped participants acquire skills that could be useful when responding to road crashes.

He encouraged members of the public to join the campaign, saying cyclists and other road users need practical knowledge on how to assist victims when accidents occur.

Paul Ngiryong, a member of the Gulu Bicycle Club, said the activity taught him that road safety is everyone’s responsibility. He said he also learned the importance of planning journeys early to avoid rushing and urged drivers to respect cyclists, pedestrians and other motorists.

For boda boda riders, Gulu City West Boda Boda Association chairperson Ocen Emmy stressed the importance of professional riding, including wearing helmets and reflector jackets and avoiding overloading motorcycles.

He urged riders to follow road safety regulations, particularly when carrying children, and to ride responsibly to protect both passengers and other road users.

Other participants, including cyclists and skaters, said the activity helped them understand how to share the road with motorists and other users. They highlighted the importance of controlling speed, stopping at zebra crossings and remaining alert while using the road.

The Gulu Safe Roads Campaign 2026 is continuing, with Ssennuni announcing that the third activity is planned for October and will focus more on practical road safety skills for boda boda riders and traffic police.

Organisers say the campaign seeks to move road safety beyond awareness slogans and encourage safer behaviour among all road users.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis