Written By | Joshua Nahamya
Rwizi Region registered the highest number of homicide cases at 408, followed by North Kyoga (274), Rwenzori West (264), and Wamala (219)
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KAMPALA
The latest Annual Crime Report released by the Uganda Police Force paints a mixed picture of crime trends across the country, highlighting persistent concerns in homicide, road safety, mobile phone theft, and child protection.
Rwizi Tops Homicide Cases
According to the 2025 report, Rwizi Region registered the highest number of homicide cases at 408, followed by North Kyoga (274), Rwenzori West (264), and Wamala (219).
Sipi Region recorded the lowest number of homicide cases at 34, followed by Rwenzori East, indicating regional disparities in violent crime.
Road Crashes and Fatalities on the Rise
The report also highlights worrying trends in road safety, with the Crash Severity Index—measuring deaths per 100 crashes—remaining high in several regions.
Albertine North, Busoga North, Rwenzori West, Masaka West, Kigezi, and Bukedi North recorded the highest severity levels, with 30–55 deaths per 100 crashes. Moderate levels (20–29) were reported in Savannah, Wamala, West Nile, and Elgon, while the lowest levels (8–19) were observed in Kiira and the Kampala Metropolitan regions.
Motorcycles (boda bodas) continue to dominate road crashes, accounting for 35% of all vehicles involved, followed by motorcars (28%), light omnibuses (7%), and medium goods vehicles (5%). 
In terms of fatalities:
Mobile Phone Theft Concentrated in Urban Areas
Mobile phone theft remains widespread, particularly in urban centres. Kampala Metropolitan South recorded the highest number of cases at 795, followed by KMP North (678), KMP East (478), Rwizi (324), and Albertine South (304).
At the division level, Kabalagala led with 191 cases, followed by Old Kampala (184), CPS Kampala (178), Jinja Road (163), Hoima Central (150), and Katwe (141).
Police note that these figures confirm that phone theft is most prevalent in densely populated urban policing areas, especially within the greater Kampala metropolitan region.
Defilement Cases Decline but Remain Alarming
The report further reveals a 14.8% decline in defilement cases, from 12,312 in 2024 to 10,492 in 2025. Of these, 7,019 were simple defilement cases, while 3,473 were aggravated.
However, the nature of offenders remains deeply concerning:
Out of the reported cases:
A total of 4,999 suspects were charged in court, with 740 convicted, 27 acquitted, 332 discharged, and 3,900 cases still ongoing.
The Uganda Police Force has called for increased public vigilance, stronger enforcement, and multi-sectoral efforts to address these persistent threats.
Torch Media Africa
