Vivo Energy Uganda, the company that markets and distributes Shell fuels and lubricants in Uganda, has launched its 2026 annual safety campaign, reinforcing the importance of Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Quality (HSSEQ) across its operations.
This year’s campaign, under the theme “Prepare to Respond,” focuses on strengthening the company’s readiness to manage potential emergencies and ensuring that employees, contractors, partners and other stakeholders understand their roles in responding effectively when an incident occurs.
At Vivo Energy Uganda, the health and safety of employees, contractors, customers and communities remain central to how the company operates. The annual safety campaign provides an opportunity for colleagues and partners to pause, reflect on existing safety practices and identify practical ways to strengthen safety across the business.
The campaign kicked off with a series of Safety Day activitiesacross the company’s operations. These have included fire drills at Vivo Energy Uganda’s depots in Mbale, Busia and Kampala, crisis simulations involving colleagues, transport partners, contractors and local health and safety authorities, as well as expert-led sessions focused on emergency preparedness and the sharing of safety best practices.
As part of the campaign, Vivo Energy Uganda today conducted a road transport emergency response drill along the Masaka-Mbarara Highway, simulating a fire outbreak involving a fuel truck. The exercise was convened by Vivo Energy Uganda and its road transport haulers, with police, fire brigade, ambulance services and local authorities participating as emergency responders.
The drill was designed to test the preparedness, coordination and response capabilities of the different stakeholders in the event of a road transport emergency involving a fuel tanker. It provided an opportunity to demonstrate how Vivo Energy Uganda and its transport partners would coordinate with emergency response agencies to manage an incident, protect people in the vicinity and minimise potential impact on the environment and surrounding communities.
The involvement of the police, fire brigade, ambulance services and local authorities also allowed the exercise to test the coordination between the company and public emergency response teams, including communication, incident management, firefighting, rescue and medical response.
George Lwawuga, HSSEQ Manager at Vivo Energy Uganda,said, “The theme ‘Prepare to Respond’ is about being ready before an incident happens. It is not enough to have emergency procedures; we need to understand them, practise them and know exactly what to do when an incident occurs. Today’s drill allows us to test our response, identify areas where we can improve and strengthen coordination with our transport partners and emergency services.”
Joanita Mukasa Menya, Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda, said. “Safety is not an activity we do once a year; it is part of how we work every day. This year’s theme, ‘Prepare to Respond’, reminds us that while we work hard to prevent incidents, we must also be prepared to respond quickly and effectively when something unexpected happens. That preparedness can make a critical difference in protecting our people, our partners, our customers and the communities around us.”
She further emphasised the importance of working closely with partners and emergency response agencies to build stronger safety systems. “Today’s exercise demonstrates the value of collaboration. Our road transport partners, police, fire brigade, ambulance services and local authorities all have an important role to play in an emergency. By practising together, we strengthen our readiness and learn where we can do better. Our ambition remains Goal Zero – no harm to our people, business partners, customers or the environment.”
Vivo Energy Uganda continues to integrate safety into its operations through training, emergency preparedness, risk management, engagement with contractors and transport partners, and regular testing of its response procedures. The company’s Goal Zero ambition reflects its commitment to preventing harm to its people, business partners, customers and the environment. Preparing effectively to respond to emergencies is an important part of this commitment.
Through the 2026 safety campaign, Vivo Energy Uganda will continue to encourage employees, contractors and partners to take personal responsibility for safety, remain alert to potential risks and build the confidence and capability needed to respond effectively when it matters most.
Operating safely and responsibly, while maintaining the ability to address incidents rapidly and effectively, remains fundamental to Vivo Energy’s ambition to be the leading and most respected energy business in Africa and beyond.