Taking a Boat? Your Life Jacket Is Now a Must.

[Da Dona]

Heading out on Uganda’s lakes or rivers? You can no longer choose to leave the life jacket behind.

The Ministry of Works and Transport has made life jackets mandatory for all passengers travelling on boats powered by outboard engines, from the moment the boat leaves until the journey ends. Passengers who refuse to wear them could be prosecuted.

What You Need to Know
•Boat owners and operators must provide enough life jackets for everyone on board.
•Passengers on outboard-engine boats must wear life jackets throughout the journey.
•Unregistered or unlicensed boats operating on inland waterways will be impounded, with owners facing prosecution.
•Outboard-engine boats are only allowed to operate between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
•Boats found operating at night will be detained and operators prosecuted.
Overloading boats remains prohibited.

The Ministry of Works and Transport says the measures are intended to reduce accidents, particularly during the July–October period when strong monsoon winds and turbulent waves increase risks on Uganda’s inland waters.

The public is encouraged to comply with the safety measures and report unsafe boat operations to the relevant authorities.

The new measures come as Uganda enters a period of stronger monsoon winds and turbulent waves, which the ministry says increases the risk of accidents on inland waterways between July and October.

How is boat safety handled in other countries? Are life jackets mandatory for all passengers, and how strictly are the rules enforced?​