Uganda’s parliament to debate ways of curbing roads accidents amidst road carnage increase

KAMPALA - The Ugandan Members of Parliament are set to deliberate on better ways to curb the increasing road-related deaths that have hit the East African nation.

This call for special sitting comes at a time when at least 16 people are said to have died and 21 others injured after a bus rammed into a stationary trailer at Adebe trading center along the Kampala-Gulu highway on Friday morning.

“It's alleged that a bus registration number UAT 259P which belongs to Roblyn bus company was traveling from Kampala to Gulu and rammed into a stationary trailer at around midnight of January 6, 2023, along Kampala-Gulu highway. The trailer was allegedly loading at Adebe trading center just one kilometer to corner Kamdini checkpoint,” North Kyoga region police spokesperson, SP Patrick Jimmy Okema said.

In a sitting of the House on Friday, the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa directed the Minister for Works and Transport to present a statement on the road accidents and what the enforcing agencies are doing to curb the carnage.

Mr. Tayebwa cited the many accidents over the festive season which claimed many lives.

Among those who have lost their lives due to road accidents are the former Member of Parliament for Serere County, Patrick Okabe, and his wife.

Three members of the family of retired Supreme Court Justice, Paul Mugamba were also killed in an accident on the Kampala-Mityana road.

Several people have also been killed in crashes involving public service vehicles with the latest being a bus that rammed into a stationary trailer on the Gulu highway near Kamudini on Thursday, 05 January 2023. The accident saw over 12 people killed and others seriously injured.  

Tayebwa said these place the responsibility to scrutinize government plans to counter road carnage, on Parliament. “The minister will be required to present a comprehensive statement that will be subject to a thorough debate. We shall need broad measures taken by the government to address road carnage,” Tayebwa who also lost a family member in a road accident, said.

The Deputy Speaker was also concerned that the accident reports in the media are all attributed to reckless driving which he said must be checked.

He proposed the need to review the issuance of permits, a process he said has been compromised by those who obtain permits by bribery as opposed to the required proof of training.

Tayebwa further said the state of potholes on roads within Kampala Capital City was deplorable and requested accountability of the over US$200 million loan passed in the 10th Parliament to reconstruct 27 roads in the city.

“I have observed a lot of potholes in Kampala, and the solution they are providing is patching them; we passed a loan to reconstruct most of the roads under Kampala Capital City Authority, it is now two years yet I see potholes everywhere,” Tayebwa said.

GAROWE ONLINE