Police boss turns heat on MPs over corruption

The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of traffic and road safety, Dr Stephen Kasiima, accused MPs of writing to him chits, asking him to recruit their relatives into the Force

What you need to know:

  • The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, while launching the Parliamentary Forum on Road Safety, urged primary schools across the country to start traffic instructions in classes to teach learners of all ages how to cross a road, explore a variety of driving-related topics with learners, including traffic laws, safety concerns and defensive driving tactics.

Kampala. Members of Parliament on Thursday faced the heat as they became the focus of police on alleged corruption.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of traffic and road safety, Dr Stephen Kasiima, accused MPs of writing to him chits, asking him to recruit their relatives into the Force.
Dr Kasiima, who was speaking at the Safe Way Right Way (SWRW) breakfast meeting at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala, during the launch of the Parliamentary Forum on Road Safety for the 10th Parliament, asked MPs to also address corruption among themselves before accusing police of the same.
He said there are many regulations for drivers but when you arrest a driver for breaking a traffic regulation, the first call you will get is from an MP asking you to set the person free.
“Then why are you condemning Traffic? Why don’t you condemn your brothers and sisters who are in the Traffic police?” Dr Kasiima asked.

The SWRW board chairman, Mr Florentin De Lappoint, said formation of the Parliamentary Forum on Road Safety was a legislative action plan towards addressing policy development for road safety improvement in a sustainable way and in line with the systems approach and the UN Decade of Action Road Safety pillars.
The Minister of State for Transport, Mr Aggrey Bagiire, said government has developed a comprehensive road safety road map as one of the ways to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in road traffic accident death by 2020 as recommended by the UN.

Traffic laws
Regarding traffic laws and regulations, the minister noted that his ministry was reviewing the 1998 Traffic and Road Safety Act to make it more effective and that this will involve making regulation for driving tests and make special provisions for Public Service Vehicles and heavy goods vehicles, especially on the use of reflectors.
The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, while launching the Parliamentary Forum on Road Safety, urged primary schools across the country to start traffic instructions in classes to teach learners of all ages how to cross a road, explore a variety of driving-related topics with learners, including traffic laws, safety concerns and defensive driving tactics.