Crime Drops by 10% as Police Release 2025 Annual Report

30 March 2026, 2:11 pm

Byamukama Alozious

The Uganda Police Force has reported a significant decline in crime, according to its 2025 Annual Crime Report released today.

Presenting the report, Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba said a total of 196,405 cases were recorded in 2025, down from 218,715 cases in 2024 marking a 10.2% reduction.

Out of these, 115,301 cases were forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with 79,291 taken to court. The report shows that 24,899 cases resulted in convictions, leading to 31,732 people being sentenced.

Traffic-related offences also dropped sharply. Police registered 322,441 cases in 2025, compared to 426,432 in 2024 a 24.4% decrease. However, road safety remains a concern, with 26,044 crashes recorded, including 4,602 fatal incidents.

Fire incidents and rescue operations reduced as well, with 1,310 cases reported in 2025, down from 1,595 in 2024. Police responded to 96.9% of these incidents. In the report, the police leadership attributed the progress to strengthened community policing, improved coordination with agencies like the Uganda People’s Defence Force and other security bodies, as well as ongoing reforms in the force.

The Inspector General also thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for what he described as continued strategic guidance, particularly in advancing anti-crime infrastructure and police restructuring. Police say they will further expand community-based policing and intelligence-led operations in 2026 as part of efforts to sustain the downward crime trend.

Annual Crime Report 2025 on Narcotics: In 2025, a total of 1,569 cases of narcotics and psychotropic substances were registered, compared to 2,240 in 2024, giving a 30% decrease. But concern remains over rising drug abuse among youth, especially in schools and communities. ”This remains a key area for intervention” Byakagaba