Government has made the wearing of life jackets mandatory for all passengers travelling on boats powered by outboard engines as it tightens enforcement of inland water transport safety measures across Uganda.
In Marine Notice No. 001/2026, the Ministry of Works and Transport said the directive takes immediate effect as the country enters the high-risk July to October season, when strong easterly monsoon winds and rough waters increase the likelihood of marine accidents.
Julius Maganda Wandera, the Minister of State for Works and Transport (Transport), said the mandatory use of life jackets is intended to save lives and strengthen compliance with Uganda’s inland water transport laws.
“All passengers moving on boats powered by outboard engines are required to wear life jackets from the time of departure and during the entire voyage,” Wandera said.
The minister warned that passengers who fail to wear life jackets will be prosecuted, while boat owners and operators who do not provide enough life-saving appliances on board will also face court action.
“A vessel owner or operator who does not provide life-saving appliances or life jackets on board a boat while on voyage will be prosecuted in courts of law,” he said.
The ministry also announced tougher enforcement measures, including impounding unregistered and unlicensed boats, restricting boats powered by outboard engines to operate only between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and cracking down on overloading.
Wandera said the measures are necessary because rough weather during the July-October period has been linked to a rise in marine accidents on Uganda’s inland waterways, urging both operators and passengers to comply with the new safety requirements.
