_________________________

BUNYANGABU - The Traffic Police have decried, what they are calling intimidation by top government officials and superiors whenever they arrest suspected violators of traffic rules.

Directorate of Traffic & Road Safety spokesperson Michael Kananura says several top government officials misuse their offices by threatening their officers that they will be summoned to Police headquarters or even lose their jobs should they take action on some people found guilty of flouting traffic rules and regulations.

"After you have arrested someone, then a person calls you saying leave him, else you will get a problem," Kananura says.

Kananura was on Sunday, February 11, 2024, speaking during a memorial service of the Rt. Rev. Patrick Kyaligonza, the fifth bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese, who died in a road crash on February 11, 2010. 

The function was held at All Saints Church, Rwimi parish in Rwimi town council, Bunyangabu district.

"All these are the things failing us because when you order me to release such a suspect, are we trying to save people or causing more problems?" he said.

Follow traffic guidelines

Kananura also urged road users to follow traffic guidelines for the safety and love of their own lives not out of fear of the traffic Police on the road.

He added that people tend to be on good terms with traffic safety guidelines when they are a few metres away from the traffic Police officers but after bypassing them they take things for granted.

"Most people remember to fasten their seat belts when they are few metres away from the traffic Police officers," he said, adding: "Then taxi drivers are fond of offloading some passengers on realising that traffic Police are ahead".

Everyone's responsibility

He also appealed to the public to all arise and participate in the fight against the overwhelming numbers of road crashes and urged them to speak up, especially when they see that things are going wrong while on the road including overloading, corruption, and bad driving.

"A fight against road crashes should be everyone's responsibility," he said.

Enforcement problem

While delivering his sermon, Ruwenzori Diocese bishop the Rt. Rev. Reuben Bizarwenda Kisembo blamed the increased road crashes to corrupt traffic Police officers along the way adding that they have led to the demise of many people at the expense of little money give to them by some drivers as bribes.

"The laws are good but the enforcers have a problem," Reuben said.

He also cautioned road users to distance themselves from drugs adding that most mistakes that have turned into nasty crashes are as a result of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Mugarama speaks out

Bunyangabu district LC5 chairperson James Mugarama blamed the road constructors for fake materials used at some sections of the road causing it to wear out even before the road is commissioned.

Chief guest speaks out

Fort Portal City Member of Parliament Alex Ruhunda, who represented works minister Katumba Wamala, said the country is losing over 4,000 people and 19,000 are injured every year causing the nation to lose revenue worth shillings five trillion in treatment.

"For example, Mulago Referral Hospital alone requires over shillings 800 million to cater for accident patients," Ruhunda said.

He, however, said they have made some amendments in the laws that govern traffic and road users that will see wrong characters pay heavy fines for their illegalities or serve long sentences in prison.

Having served a short term of only one year, Kyaligonza's legacy still lives on mainly because of the safety week which was initiated by Rwenzori Diocese intended to fight road crashes.