In a bid to promote road safety awareness, Joseph Beyanga, popularly known as Joe Walker, has launched the fourth edition of the Joe Walker Road Safety Campaign, a 10-day walk from Kampala to Gulu.
The journey, set to begin on February 24, 2025, will kick off from the Independence Monument in Kampala, with the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala, officiating the flag-off.
The 340 km walk aims to raise awareness about the importance of patience, responsibility, and caution on Uganda’s roads.
Speaking at the campaign’s launch at Jubilee Allianz on Parliamentary Avenue, Beyanga emphasized the tragic consequences of reckless driving and impatience.
“If you ask me why we are walking, I’ll refer you to 14 households that, God forbid, would not welcome their loved ones home today. I’ll refer you to 43 people in hospitals with missing limbs or disfigured faces all victims of road crashes that could have been avoided.”
Joe Walker and his team will pass through key towns including Bombo, Luwero, Nakasongola, Migyera, Kafu, Kigumba, Bweyale, Kamdini, and Bobi, before reaching their final destination, Gulu. Along the route, they will engage local communities, spreading messages on road safety and urging road users to be more patient and responsible.
He noted that the Kampala-Gulu walk is a powerful statement against reckless driving, speeding, and road indiscipline leading causes of road accidents in Uganda.
Walker called on all Ugandans to reflect on the pain and suffering caused by road crashes.
“It’s the pain we are saying enough is enough. If you drove carefully, would you die? If you observed the speed limit, would you die? No. But someone else will live because of your patience.”
Walker also commended the Ministry of Works and Transport for implementing speed limit measures and urged more Ugandans to support such initiatives.
The 10-day walk is backed by sponsors including UNOC, Jubilee Allianz, Rwenzori Water, Coca-Cola, NBS TV, Sanyuka TV, Pride Microfinance Limited, Nicole Foundation, and Responsive Drivers Uganda in Gulu.
Eugene Kavuma, Special Projects Manager at Next Media, lauded Joe Walker’s dedication to road safety, reaffirming Next Media’s commitment to supporting initiatives like Linya Step, a campaign aimed at protecting boda boda riders from road accidents.
“Joe Walker is saving lives through awareness, and we at Next Media are proud to walk this journey with him.”
Ugandans are encouraged to participate in the walk or sponsor a walker at just UGX 100,000 per day. The campaign’s core message, “Safe Roads Save Lives,” calls on every road user to play a role in reducing road accidents.
As Joe Walker and friends take each step toward Gulu, their message is clear, every Ugandan deserves to “Get home safe.”
On average, Uganda loses 14 lives daily, registers 70 casualties and loses close to 5% her GDP on handling accidents alone this as per the 2023 police report is due to careless overtaking and speeding that accounts for 52% causes of road accidents.
The Kampala to Gulu road safety walk is not merely a symbolic gesture; it is a tangible step towards effecting more positive change.
