Bunyoro journalists equipped on road crash reporting, urged to embrace solution journalism

Hoima: Journalists from across the Greater Albertine Region (Bunyoro) have been challenged to use their influence to promote road safety by adopting solution-oriented reporting rather than focusing solely on blame when covering road crashes.

The call was made at the conclusion of a three-day training on accurate road crash reporting held at Hoima Resort Hotel and organized by the Makerere University School of Public Health.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Dr. Frederick Oporia, Executive Director of the Center for Prevention of Trauma, Injury and Disability urged journalists to put into practice the skills they had acquired during the training and use their platforms to drive positive change.

“Your words carry weight and should be used responsibly. Put whatever you have been trained on regarding road safety into practice and avoid writing blame articles. Instead, do solution journalism that offers hope and awareness to the public,” Dr. Oporia said.

Leah Kahunde, one of the facilitators, emphasized the critical role journalists play in shaping public understanding of road safety issues.

“Your voice reaches every corner of the region, so it is very important to package well the information you give to the public regarding road safety and how road crashes can be curbed,” Kahunde noted.

She added that the 2025 traffic report released by the Uganda Police Force indicates increasing crash numbers in the Albertine region, making accurate and responsible reporting more urgent than ever.

Otto Businge from Makerere University School of Public Health under center for prevention of trauma, injury and disability said Uganda can learn from countries that have successfully reduced road crash fatalities, stressing that road safety is a shared responsibility that goes beyond drivers and riders.

“Government can do a lot in this. The Ministry of Works is a key stakeholder in ensuring roads are safe through proper road designs and policies regarding road usage,” Businge said.

He added that Parliament, particularly the Parliamentary Forum for Road Safety, has a responsibility to ensure road safety policies are effectively implemented, while police should strengthen enforcement and local leaders mobilize communities to embrace safer road use.

“Road safety is not only a government responsibility. All stakeholders have a role to play in preventing crashes,” he said.

Businge warned road users against normalizing crashes until tragedy strikes.

“Until one dies or gets a permanent disability, many people do not understand the pain or appreciate discipline on the road,” he cautioned.

He further urged all road users to remain vigilant, especially as oil and gas developments continue to attract more people and vehicles to the Albertine region.

The participating journalists pledged to apply the knowledge gained during the training to highlight systemic challenges in road design, enforcement, and policy compliance, rather than focusing exclusively on driver error, with the aim of contributing to safer roads across the region.

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