By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Uganda registered a 10.2% decline in reported crime in 2025, the annual police crime report revealed. on Monday at Police Headquarters in Naguru.
The report, launched by Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba, at Police Headquarters in Naguru on Monday, shows that 196,405 cases were recorded in 2025, down from 218,715 cases reported in 2024.
Out of the reported cases, 115,301 were submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), with 79,291 proceeding to court. A total of 24,899 cases resulted in convictions, leading to 31,732 offenders being sentenced.
Byakagaba attributed the decline in crime to a mix of structural reforms and operational improvements within the force, including strengthened command systems, adoption of technology, and expansion of community policing.
“We realised that a clear chain of command has greatly improved how decisions are made and implemented across the force,” he said.
He added that enhanced collaboration among security agencies had boosted efficiency.
“The existence of strong inter-agency mechanisms has enhanced the effective twinning of our capabilities,” Byakagaba noted.
Community policing also played a significant role, although coverage remains limited.
“This is still a work in progress, with only 56% of sub-counties currently covered,” he said.
The IGP further cited increased investment in operational tools such as CCTV cameras, canine units, forensic equipment and IT systems as key contributors to improved crime detection and prevention.
Meanwhile, Criminal Investigations Director Tom Magambo reported notable reductions across major crime categories.
Assault cases dropped by 10.8% from 29,580 in 2024 to 26,366 in 2025, while sex-related offences declined by 12.6% from 14,425 to 12,606. Domestic violence cases also reduced by 12.2%, from 14,073 to 12,361.
Magambo added that economic and corruption-related crimes decreased by 12.1% from 13,132 to 11,548 cases, while break-ins fell from 13,511 to 11,818. Cases of threatening violence also registered a decline.
In the traffic sector, Director of Traffic and Road Safety Lawrence Nuwabaine reported a sharp drop in traffic-related cases.
Police recorded 322,441 traffic cases in 2025 compared to 426,432 in 2024, representing a 24.4% reduction.
“A total of 26,044 crashes were reported to the police, out of which 4,602 were fatal, 13,563 were serious and 7,879 were minor,” Nuwabaine said.
He noted that most crashes occurred in December during the festive season, with weekends, particularly Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays recording the highest number of accidents.
Byakagaba reaffirmed the police force’s commitment to professionalism and building a people-centred service.
“We remain committed to professionalism in order to build a people-centred police for a safe and secure society,” he said.
