Uganda registered a significant decline in overall crime in 2025, but authorities warn that persistent offences such as theft, domestic violence and emerging cybercrime threats continue to pose serious challenges.
According to the Uganda Police Force’s Annual Crime Report 2025, a total of 196,405 cases were reported during the year, down from 218,715 in 2024, marking a 10.2 per cent reduction in crime nationwide.
Police leadership attributed the drop to enhanced policing strategies, including the sub-county policing model, improved investigations, and closer collaboration with communities and justice sector institutions.
Inspector General of Police Byakagaba Abas said the force remained focused on protecting life and property while strengthening partnerships with the public and other security agencies.
“Our successes were as a result of strong inter-agency mechanisms and cooperation with the public,” he noted.
Despite the overall decline, theft remained the most prevalent offence, accounting for 56,360 cases, followed by assault (over 28,000 cases), sex-related crimes (12,606) and domestic violence (12,361).
Police data shows these categories have consistently dominated crime statistics over the past four years, even as their overall numbers gradually decline.
The national crime rate stood at about 427 cases per 100,000 people, based on population estimates, reflecting what police describe as “improved law and order.”
Out of the total reported cases, 115,301 were submitted to prosecutors, while 79,291 were taken to court.
The report indicates that 24,899 cases secured convictions, leading to 31,732 individuals being sentenced.
However, a large number of cases remain unresolved. More than 54,000 accused persons are still on trial, while over 77,000 cases remain under investigation, highlighting persistent challenges in case backlog and judicial processing.
Police also pointed to a heavy workload on investigators, with each detective handling an average of 54 cases, far above the United Nations recommended ratio of 12.
In the traffic sector, the number of recorded offences dropped sharply by 24.4 per cent, but road crashes increased slightly.
Police recorded 26,044 crashes in 2025, including 4,602 fatal incidents, indicating a 3.7 per cent rise compared to the previous year.
Fatal, serious and minor crashes all registered increases, raising concerns about road safety despite intensified enforcement efforts.
Fire and rescue services reported 1,310 incidents in 2025, down from 1,595 in 2024.
Most fires were linked to electric faults, with residential buildings being the most affected. Kampala Metropolitan areas recorded the highest number of incidents.
While traditional crimes declined, police flagged cybercrime, land disputes, organised criminal gangs and domestic violence as emerging or persistent threats requiring urgent attention.
The report notes that land-related offences and politically linked crimes showed notable increases, pointing to evolving security concerns.
Police say they will scale up community policing, intelligence-led operations and technology-driven surveillance in 2026 to sustain the downward crime trend.
“We remain resolute in our vision of a professional and people-centred police for a safe and secure society,” the IGP stated.
