Gen. Katumba Wamala speaking to reporters at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala
By George Bukenya
As we start the festive season, many people will be travelling up-country to enjoy the long holiday period but road crushes also increase during such a season and claim a lot of lives due to various causes.
It’s from this back ground that the Minister of Works and Transport issued directives to be followed by motorist so as to avoid crushes and loss of lives during a press briefing held at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
The Minister of Works and Transport Gen. Katumba Wamala directed that Buses making journeys of 300km and more will not be allowed to make return journeys, only buses with valid route charts will be carry passengers, drivers with valid driving permits and have badges on their uniforms will be allow to drive.
He also directed that passport photos of the bus drivers should be displayed in a visible area inside the bus such that passengers can know who is driving them failure to follow such directives the bus will be impounded.
“ The report indicate that last year during the festive season, in a period of only seven days we lost 60 lives due to poor usage of roads this time we want to reverse the trend by signalling early warning to motorists and passengers to be vigilant and conscious,’’ Gen. Katumba said.
“ During the period of January to September 2024 a total of 3,090 have perished as a result of road crushes, government is no committed to reverse this trend and this is why we are issuing stringent directives,’’ he said.
This time we shall arrest and put you in custody until the end of the festive season, there will be no ‘gamba n’ogwo’, I will not entertain any call regarding traffic offenders’’
Gen Katumba also warned schools and higher institutions of learning to avoid putting their buses on roads so as to make for them money this Charismas season because they are not licensed to do such service, he said they will be impounded and whoever involved will be arrested and prosecuted.
He also warned the boat cruisers to avoid moving at night because it’s highly risky as visibility on waters during night greatly reduces making it difficult for the rescue team to do their work in case of accidents happening. The Minister also urged local leaders at Buvuma, Kalangala and Namiyingo not to allow boats in poor conditions to be used in transporting passengers.
The Traffic Police boss AIGP Lawrence Niwabine in the same press conference said that during the festive season there are many people who drive cars because of a lot of excitement, other buy car for the first time and they go on the road with less experience yet the roads are extremely busy thus leading to the increase in road crushes.
Niwabine also directed traffic police to arrest and prosecute without fear or favour anybody failing to abide by the road regulations and rules and also strictly enforce the Ministers directives.
The AIGP also cited out a challenge of inadequate automation as in CCTV Cameras of the monitoring system that limits traffic police from enforcing the law 24/7 and nabbing law offenders.
Rev. Daniel Wejuri from Uganda inter-religious council appealed to all religious leaders and religious institutions to be part of this campaign of reversing the rampant trend of road crushes during the festive season.
“People are coming home to join us in players and celebrations, we need them when they are alive, therefore we should take this message very important and start now reminding motorist and travellers about being disciplined and patient enough while driving on roads coming home to avoid road crushes,’’ Rev. Wejuri urged.
He further said, “ go slow , we are not the first and last generation , we are only here to add on what people have been doing for many years we can’t tell. Tomorrow we are going to leave but we should leave the earth better for the next generation.’’ He said.