Over the past three years, the Joe Walker Road Safety Campaign, backed by Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU), has become one of Uganda's most influential road safety movements. Through long-distance walks, the campaign has engaged thousands of Ugandans, sparked vital discussions, and inspired action for safer roads.
As the Kampala-Gulu Road Safety Walk wraps up (February 24 – March 7, 2025), reflections on past walks, including Kampala to Bushenyi, Kampala to Mbale, and Kampala to Fort Portal, show the growing impact of this nationwide initiative.
Uganda is still facing a major road safety crisis, with over 4,000 lives lost annually to road accidents, according to the 2023 Uganda Police report. Reckless driving, poor roads, and lack of awareness remain key contributors to the rising death toll. In response, the Joe Walker Road Safety Campaign has taken a creative approach: walking across the country to engage communities, educate road users, and push for stricter road safety laws.
CCBU has been a steady partner in this mission, aligning with the UN’s goal to reduce road traffic deaths by 50% by 2030. In 2022, the first 350-kilometre Kampala-Bushenyi Walk set the stage for grassroots advocacy, followed by the Kampala-Mbale Walk in 2023 and the Kampala-Fort Portal Walk in 2024. These walks have brought the campaign directly to schools, boda boda riders, traffic officers, drivers, and local leaders.
The 2023 Joe Walker-Mbale report showed a significant rise in awareness, stricter law enforcement, and a crackdown on reckless driving.
The campaign has also fostered stronger partnerships between businesses and government agencies to tackle road safety issues.
Beyond the walks, CCBU has made road safety a priority in its operations. Kirunda Magoola, Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability Director at CCBU, emphasised that road safety is not just a campaign but a long-term commitment embedded in the company’s culture.
“In 2022, we launched the Zero is Possible campaign to educate employees and the public on how to prevent road accidents and build a culture of safety. At CCBU, we believe safety should be at the heart of everything we do,” Magoola said.
With a fleet of over 255 vehicles, CCBU has introduced various measures to promote safe driving, including a reward programme for responsible drivers. In October 2023, the company earned a safety award at the Coca-Cola East African Franchise Awards for going 730 days without a single road fatality at its Rwenzori and Namanve plants.
CCBU also runs weekly defensive driving courses, uses real-time monitoring with 3D cameras, and rewards drivers who maintain safe practices. The company works closely with logistics partners to uphold strict road safety standards.
As Uganda battles road traffic fatalities, collaborations like that of Joe Walker and CCBU show the power of ongoing advocacy and corporate responsibility. With each step taken on these road safety walks, lives are being saved, attitudes are changing, and the goal of safer roads for all is becoming more achievable.
