Traffic jams not an excuse for breaking curfew

LOCKDOWN | CURFEW | TRAFFIC JAM

Traffic jams should not be fronted as an excuse for violating the night curfew because motorists are expected to plan their journeys carefully, the police have said. 

"We shall not entertain excuses for traffic jams. You know that there is traffic jam and you are expected to comply with the rules and be home by 7:00 pm," the Kampala metropolitan traffic police chief, Norman Musinga, told journalists at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Wednesday. 

Kisaasi right about now: Traffic jams should not be fronted as an excuse for violating the night curfew says the Police.#VisionUpdates |#KlaTrafficFrustration pic.twitter.com/pIyYGPomq1

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) May 27, 2020

He added that over 280 motorists, who were still driving after 7:00 pm on Tuesday, were "warned" and allowed to proceed to their respective homes. 

"We have also noted that some people drove on Tuesday but did not have specific destinations and were only driving out of excitement," Musinga added, "we warned them in writing, with Police Form 30.

We then allowed them to proceed because it was the first-day private car owners were allowed to drive their cars.

However, he stated that there would be no further warning to the motorists violating the night curfew. "We are now going to start impounding the cars," Musinga added.

Following the arrest of private car owners on Tuesday, many people are rushing to drive back home to beat curfew which starts at 7:00pm. This has increased traffic jam along Jinja road.

📸: @shamimsaad2|#VisionUpdates pic.twitter.com/qvZqzLNauP

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) May 27, 2020

He said the stickers which were issued to essential workers in March and the travel permits some people secured from resident district commissioners are "no longer in use" since restrictions on the movement of all private cars have been lifted.

But Musinga stated that the security would discuss and agree on how to handle some categories of essential workers like journalists, who have stickers and continue working beyond 7:00 pm when the curfew starts.

However, he asked the COVID-19 sticker holders to keep them "for future purposes."

After arrests made on Tuesday, motorists are rushing back home though some are still stuck in slow traffic jam.

Are you home already? What is the situation like on your side, with just a few minutes to 7:00pm?#KlaTrafficFrustration |#VisionUpdates pic.twitter.com/O26sedmDvr

— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) May 27, 2020

The police said they will also continue to arrest motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol, careless driving, driving without permits, among others. He added, however, motorists whose permits expired during the COVID-19 lockdown, will be exempted.

"We shall exempt even those who had initiated the process of renewing permits but could not complete because of the lockdown and that fact that Face Technologies closed," Musinga said. Ends