Museveni directs police on boda boda riders, taxi drivers over recklessness

President Yoweri Museveni has asked police to get stricter on offenders of traffic guidelines in a bid to reduce on the rising number of accidents.

The Ministry of Works and Transport performance report for the year 2016/17 released last year indicated that deaths on Ugandan roads had increased, indicating 9572 people had died in the past three years.

Speaking during the liberation day celebrations in Arua on Friday, Museveni said that on many occasions drivers and riders exhibit indiscipline while on the road, a thing he said has contributed to a number of accidents on the Ugandan roads.

“While in Kampala you see how reckless boda bodas and taxi drivers behave. I have heard some foreigners complain of reckless drivers in Uganda which is bad, “Museveni said.

“Police must insist on the proper road code. Don’t overtake when not supposed to. Don’t drive on pavement because it is for pedestrians.”

In September, 13 people of Tanzanian origin who were coming from a wedding party of their daughter in Kampala perished in a nasty accident along the Kampala Masaka highway.

A survey conducted by the Ministry of Works and Transport between 2012 and 2015 indicated that Ugandan roads have become increasingly risky and dangerous to most road users, especially pedestrians, the same finding was revealed by the Uganda Road Fund on user satisfaction in 2016.

At least 200 people died in road accidents on Ugandan roads last year. According to Museveni, there is need to enforce discipline on the road so as to ensure the country is free from accidents which he said have claimed many lives of people.

“The side walk is for pedestrians and not anybody else. We should enhance our reputation internationally that Uganda is safe, stable and that society is disciplined,” he urged.