Expanded policing and surveillance drive 10pc drop in crime — 2025 Police Report

March 31, 2026 in Business by Editor

Uganda recorded a 10.2pc drop in crime in 2025, with police attributing the decline to expanded sub-county policing, stronger command structures and increased use of surveillance and forensic technology.

 

A combination of expanded community-level policing and increased deployment of surveillance and forensic tools has contributed to a 10.2 percent reduction in crime across Uganda in 2025, according to the latest annual report released by Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba.

The report attributes the decline largely to the ongoing rollout of the sub-county policing model, reinforced command structures, and wider use of technology in crime detection and prevention. Police say these interventions are beginning to yield measurable results, even as implementation remains incomplete.

Byakagaba said the sub-county policing strategy—implemented under the guidance of President Yoweri Museveni—has so far covered about 56 percent of the country, with plans to scale up nationwide.

“This is still work in progress. We are not yet fully deployed to all sub-counties, but once we achieve full coverage, we expect even better outcomes in crime reduction,” he said.

The annual crime report indicates that the Kampala metropolitan region recorded 195,764 cases in 2025, down from about 218,000 reported in 2024, reflecting a broader national trend of declining crime levels.

According to Tom Magambo, Director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), the reduction is evident across several major crime categories, though challenges persist.

A total of 115,301 cases were submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with 79,291 proceeding to court and resulting in over 31,700 convictions.

Theft—still the most prevalent offence—accounted for 56,360 cases in 2025, marking a decline from previous years. Assault cases also dropped to 26,366 from 29,580 in 2024, representing a reduction of about 10.8 percent. Sex-related offences stood at 12,500 cases.

Magambo cautioned that while the downward trend is encouraging, crime levels remain significant. “We are seeing gradual progress, but we are not yet where we want to be,” he said.

Other sectors of law enforcement also recorded improvements. The Fire Prevention and Rescue Services Directorate reported 1,310 incidents in 2025, down from 1,595 the previous year—a 17.9 percent decrease.

Meanwhile, traffic-related incidents saw one of the sharpest declines. Under the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, police recorded 322,441 traffic-related cases in 2025, compared to 426,432 in 2024, a drop of 24.4 percent.

However, road safety remains a concern. A total of 26,044 crashes were reported, including 4,602 fatal incidents, 13,563 serious crashes and 7,879 minor ones.

Director of Traffic and Road Safety Lawrence Niwabiine attributed most accidents to reckless driving behaviour such as speeding and dangerous overtaking.

He cited the Kiryandongo bus crash—one of the deadliest incidents of the year, which claimed 44 lives and left 66 injured—as a stark reminder of ongoing risks on the roads.

Police say enforcement efforts will be intensified, including stricter action against traffic offenders, with support from military police where necessary.

Beyond enforcement, officials point to the growing role of “force multipliers” such as CCTV surveillance, forensic capabilities, emergency response systems and other IT-based tools in strengthening crime detection and deterrence.

While the latest figures suggest progress, the police leadership maintains that sustained investment in both personnel deployment and technology will be critical to consolidating the gains and addressing persistent crime hotspots.