Stringent traffic rules: We have been there before
The last time we observed days of national mourning for accident victims was after the Uganda Airlines jet crashed in Rome, Italy on October 17, 1988 killing 33 passengers with 19 survivors, many of them Ugandans.
Since then, thousands of Ugandans high and low, have perished in road accidents, but their deaths did not attract a day of national mourning, not even those who died in quick succession in the infamous Masaka Road accidents apart from prompting police to launch operation Fika Salama.
The recent outpouring of grief by Uganda’s political leaders over the grisly accident in Kiryandongo involving a Gaagaa bus, which left 23 passengers dead, and the subsequent declaration of three days of national mourning for the victims, therefore deserves commendation. It is a recognition that not only does every life matter, but also that traffic accidents are taking a huge toll on our human capital.
The accidents have largely been blamed on reckless driving partly due to alcohol and drug abuse by drivers. In response, the government has swiftly proposed a raft of draconian measures to fix this malaise without research and/or consultation whatsoever.
The Speaker of Parliament proposed the immediate reinstatement of operation Fika Salama and stringent laws to fix the problem. On his part, the NRM spokesperson, announced a raft of measures proposed by government to mitigate the problem.
As much as these measures are well-intentioned, they still miss the point. The problem with such stringent measures in a country like ours is that they will merely compound the existing corruption in public offices charged with enforcement. Interestingly, retooling and resourcing the traffic police department, has not been mentioned as one of the measures needed to deal with the problem yet this is at the heart of it.
Declaration of a public holiday to be observed annually in remembrance of those who have died in traffic accidents could have more impact than all other measures put together.
For the record, the NRM government has been championing stringent traffic laws ever since it came to power ostensibly to reduce traffic accidents on our roads. Had the laws worked, there would be zero accidents in Uganda.
Their first amendment to the Traffic Act in early 1990s introduced stiff penalties for all traffic infractions with some calling for a death penalty for the offence of causing death by reckless driving.
With experience, what guarantee do we have that the new road traffic rules will reduce accidents on Ugandan roads?
Concerned citizen,
Bulambuli
