The Minister of State for Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala has asked the Authorities responsible for the roads Kampala and other areas to curtail Boda Boda motorists to avoid accidents.
Gen Katumba says that there should be a means to deter the Boda Boda motorists from riding anywhere on the roads in bid to escape traffic, including on walk ways.
“It is now normal in Kampala for Boda Boda riders to pass anywhere they feel like, even on walk ways that are meant for pedestrians. This has increased the level of accidents especially among the pedestrians who use the pavements,” Katumba said.
He asked KCCA and UNRA to construct walk ways on all roads which pedestrians can use uninterrupted by motorists.
Gen. Katumba was at the launch of the National Road Safety Week 2017, held at pan Africa Square in Kampala on Wednesday. It centred on the theme; “Think! We are all pedestrians” and was aimed at sensitising riders and drivers on how to respect the life of other road users especially pedestrians.
The Minister of works and transport Monica Azuba Ntege said the ministry was facing challenges on how to punish reckless drivers.
“The laws are not yet clear on how to punish drivers who are reckless, we are however working on the laws such that such drivers can be imprisoned for at least four years,” she said.
According to a reported released by the ministry of works and transport, 40 percent of the road accidents that are caused by motorists involve pedestrians.
