There was drama on Friday night and a better part of Saturday morning as police carried out a trial operation on drink-driving on selected Kampala roads.
The trial operations were carried out by Kabalagala and Jinja Road Police Stations who erected snap check-points at different locations to check on drink-driving.
The motorists who thought it was the usual police operations were treated to a rude shock when they were welcomed by traffic officers armed with breathalyzers and asked them to blow them in a bid to determine the alcohol content in their blood.
Many of the drivers tried to dodge the snap check points by driving off at break-neck speed but many of them were arrested and asked to take the tests, many of whom didn’t pass.
In one incident, a driver tried to dodge the officers by driving behind a lead car but his cover was blown and despite his pleas that he is not drunk, the breathalyzer readings of 049.8% gave him away and was booked on the next vehicle to Kabalagala Police Station for detention.
Another driver decided to park a few metres away from the snap check point and came staggering to the traffic police officers whom he told he had only taken three bottles for the road.
“Don’t check me because I took only three bottles. I sleep near there. Let me go home because I am not drunk,” said the man who could not easily lift his tongue.
When police officers insisted on testing him, he asked that police drive him home, a request officers declined.
After spending close to two hours at the check point, the driver was tested and the breathalyzer read 061.7% and he was straight away booked for the next place in detention but it wasn’t easy as he tried to bribe officers for his freedom.
However, his tricks bear fruit.
There was a foreigner who could not even park the vehicle properly and had to be assisted by officers but on being asked to blow air in the breathalyzer, he told officers he had taken “only five bottles and that’s too much.”
The breathalyzer readings of 056.6% shocked the traffic officers.
“This is too much alcohol that you cant even be allowed to ride a wheelbarrow,” one traffic police officer quipped jokingly as the driver was being led to the waiting patrol vehicle.
Meanwhile, another daring driver tried to knock traffic police officers at the check point as he sped off after being stopped.
He however didn’t have luck on his side after he was arrested by the pants and despite his threats to take matters personal with police , he was booked in the cells.
Whereas, the operation started at around 11pm, many of the drunkards at 2am and beyond as many got shocked to learn there was an ongoing drink-driving operation.
Among those arrested was a prominent Kampala bailiff who staggered as he got off the steering wheel and despite threats of action to the officers, he was booked for jail.
Another lady in her late 50s lied to the testing officers that she was coming from hospital but the breathalyzer gave her away when it read 048.8% whereas a taxi driver took to his heels and left behind the vehicle after being stopped.
Son to army general?
In another incident, a man driving a vehicle with Kenyan registration number plates in company of three ladies almost refused to take the test as he insisted that he is a son to a “powerful army general” in Uganda.
“This is a matter of national security as it touches the people of Uganda. You are making a mistake in arresting me,” the driver told the officers.
However, the officers led by the Kampala Metropolitan South Regional Traffic Officer, Superintendent of Police, Godfrey Mwesigye stood their ground.
“I am arresting you for having excess alcohol in your blood. Do you have anything to say? Tell the general that you have been arrested and be kept in custody until the following day. Even if you are diplomat and you are drunk, we shall arrest you,” SP Mwesigye told the driver.
Efforts by the driver to make incessant calls didn’t help as he was finally taken for detention.
According to police, the drunk drivers will be detained until they sober up.
“When we arrest you for drink-driving, you will be detained until the following day when you will be issued with a shs200,000 express penalty system ticket that you will have to pay in the bank before you are released together with your vehicle,” Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango had earlier warned.
The breathalyzer readings determine the percentage of blood alcohol content with 0.0% being sober, 0.08% being legally intoxicated, 0.08- 0.40 being very impaired as this blood alcohol level can present difficulty in walking and speaking as well as confusion, nausea, and drowsiness.
The readings about 0.40% mean the consumer of alcohol might be at risk of coma and death.
However, the timing of this test can affect the accuracy of the results as it can only be accurate with 6-12 hours after the last drink.
