How many people must die first?
May 14, 2009
Letters of the day<br><br>Editor—I am disappointed with the Government in general and with the transport ministry in particular. I am also not happy with the Police for failing to curb the increasing road accidents in Uganda. It is sad and unfortunate
Letters of the day
Editor—I am disappointed with the Government in general and with the transport ministry in particular. I am also not happy with the Police for failing to curb the increasing road accidents in Uganda. It is sad and unfortunate that everyday we lose precious lives in this country through road accidents.
Uganda’s accident rate is the second highest in the world after Somalia! Is this something to be proud of? Why should we be known only for bad things? How shameful for the transport minister who has been in the same position for the last 20 years! In one day alone we lost over 20 people this week.
Why are bus drivers in this country allowed to drive as if they are destined to hell? In 2004 we lost the then speaker of parliament Francis Ayume and the whole country was in panic. Speed governors for passenger vehicles were hastily introduced and everybody was forced to wear seat belts when travelling.
However, the panic wore off and bus drivers and owners no longer care! After all, most drivers always survive and run away. Why was the issue of speed governors forgotten?
Where is the future of this generation where leaders cannot be held accountable?
The minister should explain this laxity and the Police boss should enforce the law. We cannot sit and watch citizens perishing in senseless accidents due to reckless driving and bad roads. By the way, many bus companies are owned by people in high places who don’t respect the law.
They bully the poor Police officers on the roads and all they care about is money! All ministers and MPs watch from their comfort zones. We voted MPs into power to make Uganda a better country but the opposite is happening! For how long must this grief go on and how many people must die first before concrete action can be taken? God save this nation!
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Patrick Tumwine
Kampala
EDITOR—That over 20 people perished in just a day in addition to those that perished earlier in public service vehicles is great cause for alarm!
The Police have time and again talked of implementing the speed governor rules on buses, trucks and taxis to no avail.
How many more people must die before the Government can implement the law? It is laughable to see police press conferences on how they are going to act tough on errant drivers and yet have failed to rein in the major culprits who roam our roads at will.
Maybe the Police should be held accountable for failure to enforce the law or for negligence which has led to the loss of so many lives. Withdrawing the Gateway licence is not a solution! Police need to act tough and enforce the speed governor law for all buses and taxis.
In addition, all drivers of public transport should be tested afresh to ensure they can be trusted with human life.
If Kenya successfully implemented the speed governors law why is it so difficult for Uganda?
What is so special in our case that cannot be addressed?
My heart goes out to all those families that have lost their loved ones in the recent accidents as a result of negligence of both the drivers and the authorities concerned.
- Sikhu Moses
sikhum@gmail.com
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EDITOR—On June 23, 2008, I wrote about the impending dangers of road accidents on the Kampala-Mbale road. The headline of my letter was, “Police should act nowâ€. After a month the Struggle Bus ‘struggled’ and killed several people in a terrible accident on the same road. Gateway Bus Service is now desperate, after losing business because of their poor public relations, old buses and no specific time-table for their buses to operate.
There are simply too many buses on Tirinyi road and the competition is very stiff. For example, Elgon Flyer, Teso Coach, YY and others almost leave at the same time! So it is about who gets where first so that people “know we are on timeâ€.
The Police should clamp down on speeding drivers.
What happened to the speed governors and seat belts which became talk of the town when Francis Ayume died in a road accident? The Police should find sustainable ways of enforcing the law. They seem to be doing all these as projects!
- Mamadou Yawe
Kampala
Editor—I am disappointed with the Government in general and with the transport ministry in particular. I am also not happy with the Police for failing to curb the increasing road accidents in Uganda. It is sad and unfortunate that everyday we lose precious lives in this country through road accidents.
Uganda’s accident rate is the second highest in the world after Somalia! Is this something to be proud of? Why should we be known only for bad things? How shameful for the transport minister who has been in the same position for the last 20 years! In one day alone we lost over 20 people this week.
Why are bus drivers in this country allowed to drive as if they are destined to hell? In 2004 we lost the then speaker of parliament Francis Ayume and the whole country was in panic. Speed governors for passenger vehicles were hastily introduced and everybody was forced to wear seat belts when travelling.
However, the panic wore off and bus drivers and owners no longer care! After all, most drivers always survive and run away. Why was the issue of speed governors forgotten?
Where is the future of this generation where leaders cannot be held accountable?
The minister should explain this laxity and the Police boss should enforce the law. We cannot sit and watch citizens perishing in senseless accidents due to reckless driving and bad roads. By the way, many bus companies are owned by people in high places who don’t respect the law.
They bully the poor Police officers on the roads and all they care about is money! All ministers and MPs watch from their comfort zones. We voted MPs into power to make Uganda a better country but the opposite is happening! For how long must this grief go on and how many people must die first before concrete action can be taken? God save this nation!
--------------------------------------
Patrick Tumwine
Kampala
EDITOR—That over 20 people perished in just a day in addition to those that perished earlier in public service vehicles is great cause for alarm!
The Police have time and again talked of implementing the speed governor rules on buses, trucks and taxis to no avail.
How many more people must die before the Government can implement the law? It is laughable to see police press conferences on how they are going to act tough on errant drivers and yet have failed to rein in the major culprits who roam our roads at will.
Maybe the Police should be held accountable for failure to enforce the law or for negligence which has led to the loss of so many lives. Withdrawing the Gateway licence is not a solution! Police need to act tough and enforce the speed governor law for all buses and taxis.
In addition, all drivers of public transport should be tested afresh to ensure they can be trusted with human life.
If Kenya successfully implemented the speed governors law why is it so difficult for Uganda?
What is so special in our case that cannot be addressed?
My heart goes out to all those families that have lost their loved ones in the recent accidents as a result of negligence of both the drivers and the authorities concerned.
- Sikhu Moses
sikhum@gmail.com
------------------------------------
EDITOR—On June 23, 2008, I wrote about the impending dangers of road accidents on the Kampala-Mbale road. The headline of my letter was, “Police should act nowâ€. After a month the Struggle Bus ‘struggled’ and killed several people in a terrible accident on the same road. Gateway Bus Service is now desperate, after losing business because of their poor public relations, old buses and no specific time-table for their buses to operate.
There are simply too many buses on Tirinyi road and the competition is very stiff. For example, Elgon Flyer, Teso Coach, YY and others almost leave at the same time! So it is about who gets where first so that people “know we are on timeâ€.
The Police should clamp down on speeding drivers.
What happened to the speed governors and seat belts which became talk of the town when Francis Ayume died in a road accident? The Police should find sustainable ways of enforcing the law. They seem to be doing all these as projects!
- Mamadou Yawe
Kampala