The government has ordered an immediate crackdown on commuter DMC taxis operating in dangerous mechanical condition, with a 100-day police operation set to begin across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area on Monday, August 24, 2026.
Minister of Works and Transport Fred Byamukama said he has directed the Uganda Police Force to target taxis classified as Dangerous Mechanical Condition (DMC), warning that poorly maintained vehicles will no longer be allowed to operate on the metropolitan roads.
“Starting Monday, 24th August, no DMC Taxis will be allowed within the Greater Kampala-Metropolitan Area,” Byamukama said in a statement issued Friday.
The minister said the operation will specifically target dilapidated commuter taxis, particularly the old 14-seater vehicles commonly referred to as “Ganyegenya.”
Byamukama said the enforcement campaign is intended to prevent mechanically defective vehicles from putting passengers, pedestrians and other road users at risk.
“Our roads must not become death traps because of poorly maintained vehicles,” he said.
The 100-day operation is expected to place renewed scrutiny on the condition of public transport vehicles serving Kampala and its surrounding metropolitan areas.
Under the crackdown, taxis found to be in a dangerous mechanical state will not be permitted to continue carrying passengers, as authorities seek to enforce minimum roadworthiness standards.
The minister stressed that public transport operators have a responsibility to ensure that vehicles placed on the road are properly maintained and capable of safely carrying passengers.
“Public transport must be safe, roadworthy and fit for purpose. We owe Ugandans nothing less,” Byamukama said.
The announcement comes as the Works and Transport Ministry places greater emphasis on road safety and enforcement under the new government administration. Byamukama is the current Minister of Works and Transport, having been sworn into the 2026–2031 Cabinet in June.
The minister has also previously indicated a willingness to take firm action over problems affecting Uganda’s transport infrastructure and road network. In Parliament in July, he told legislators that his ministry was taking action to address shortcomings identified in road projects.
The latest directive could have significant implications for taxi operators in Kampala, where commuter taxis remain a major component of the city’s public transport system.
For passengers, however, the government says the priority is safety.
The planned operation means taxi owners and operators with ageing or poorly maintained vehicles will face increased scrutiny as police begin the 100-day enforcement exercise.
Authorities are expected to focus on vehicles whose mechanical defects could compromise their ability to safely transport passengers, although the minister’s statement did not provide details of the specific mechanical faults that will constitute grounds for classification as DMC.
The crackdown also puts pressure on taxi operators to ensure their vehicles are properly serviced and maintained before putting them on the road.
With the operation scheduled to commence on August 24, the government has effectively issued a warning to operators of unsafe taxis: mechanically unfit vehicles will have no place on the streets of Greater Kampala.
