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Urgent Call for Stricter Vehicle Regulations in Uganda
A senior official from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has raised concerns about the impact of outdated vehicles on public health and road safety in Uganda. Jane Wanjiru Akumu, a programme officer with UNEP’s Sustainable Mobility Unit, highlighted that aging trucks and minibuses are contributing to severe air pollution, increasing the burden of diseases, and causing numerous road accidents.
According to Akumu, recent emissions data collected in Kampala shows that many heavy-duty vehicles imported into the country are over 30 years old. “Last year, an average of 37-year-old heavy-duty vehicles were entering Kampala’s fleet. These are vehicles that should be ending their life, not starting a new one in Uganda,” she stated.
She explained that many of these vehicles had already been decommissioned in Europe before being reintroduced in Uganda. “We’ve worked with countries like the Netherlands and found that vehicles which had reached the end of their lifecycle there are now being revived in Uganda.”
Health and Environmental Impact
The UNEP official emphasized that most of these vehicles lack modern emissions control systems and safety features. “They are major contributors to pollution-related illnesses such as asthma, lung cancer, and strokes, all of which are on the rise in Kampala and across Africa,” she warned. Additionally, these vehicles are heavily involved in road accidents and fatalities.
Akumu, who also coordinates the Africa Clean Transport Programme, pointed out that minibuses are among the worst polluters. “From the study, we found that minibuses are big contributors to pollution. The average age of these taxis is 25 years, with some emitting six times more black carbon than slightly newer models.”
Regional Disparities in Regulation
Uganda lags behind its East African neighbors in regulating vehicle imports, according to Akumu. “Kenya has an eight-year age limit, Tanzania has a ten-year limit and penalises older imports with high taxes. Rwanda has already implemented vehicle emissions standards.” In contrast, Uganda only introduced a 15-year age limit for light-duty vehicles in 2018, and it remains unenforced for heavy-duty trucks and buses.
Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo face similar challenges, Akumu added. “That’s why UNEP is working across Central and West Africa to address the issue.”
Key Findings from the Emissions Study
The emissions study conducted by UNEP in partnership with The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) initiative covered 6,000 vehicles over 26 days in Kampala. Most vehicles tested exceeded Euro 4 emission limits, including newer models. “Even vehicles less than eight years old had nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions 5.5 times higher than permitted,” Akumu said. “Diesel vehicles over 15 years old emitted three times more black carbon than those between 8 and 15 years.”
Although Uganda has adopted Euro 4 emissions standards for imports, the rules remain largely unenforced.
Government Response and Future Steps
Eng. Kharim Kibuuka, head of vehicle inspection at the Ministry of Works and Transport, acknowledged the study and mentioned that plans are underway to roll out a national inspection programme. “These recommendations come at a critical time. We’re preparing to ensure all vehicles are inspected regularly to meet safety and emissions standards,” he said.
Eng. Irene Bateebe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, called the findings “a matter of life and death.” “We support industrialisation, but it must not come at the cost of health and the environment,” she stated. “This data will guide our interventions under the national energy transition plan.”
UNEP recommends that Uganda immediately test all imports for compliance with Euro 4 standards and gradually move toward Euro 6 by 2030. It also proposes reducing the age limit for minibuses from 15 to eight years by the end of the decade.
“If Uganda continues with business as usual,” Akumu warned, “we’ll see more deaths, more accidents, and more suffering caused by transport emissions.”
