‘Joe Walker’  completes 300km road safety walk

Mr Joseph Beyanga, also known as Joe Walker, completed his remarkable road safety walk on Tuesday at around 3pm, covering more than 300 kilometres from Kampala to Fort Portal. The journey commenced in Kampala on February 26. 
Mr Beyanga was joined by his wife, Ms Carol Byeyanga, and a group of Uganda Pentecostal University students, among others. 
 
Together with fellow walkers, they received a warm welcome from a cheering crowd upon their arrival in Fort Portal City. Security personnel assisted, accompanying them for about three kilometres before entering the city.
Upon reaching Fort Portal City, the team proceeded to Karuziika, the Tooro Kingdom Palace. 
There, they were received by officials from the kingdom, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Harriet Nyakake, along with Fort Portal City leaders led by Speaker Albert Ahebwa. 

The welcoming committee also included Mr James Ruhweza, the Rwenzori West region police commander, among other dignitaries.
Mr Beyanga said the primary purpose of his extensive walk was to raise awareness about road safety issues across the country, spanning all the districts they traversed from Kampala to Fort Portal City.

Observation
During the walk, Mr Beyanga said he observed various challenges on the road, attributing some of the issues to pedestrians and pointed out instances of reckless driving, speeding, and encountering abandoned vehicles that had been involved in road crashes. 
 “While on the road, we have seen drivers speeding, others driving recklessly, and some roads have potholes. Surprisingly, people are driving as if  there is no tomorrow,” he said.

In Mubende District, Mr Beyanga’s team encountered a woman who expressed fear about sending her children to the market due to the frequent occurrence of road crashes. 
Mr Beyanga expressed concerns about the challenges faced by law enforcement officers on the road saying in some instances, officers, upon intercepting offenders, receive calls from their superiors or politicians, pressuring them to release the wrongdoers without taking appropriate action.
He said there is a need to end intimidation against law enforcement officers, allowing them to carry out their duties in the interest of public safety. 

He stressed that the community should support these officers, recognising the vital role they play in saving lives on the road.
“We’ve observed overloading for both vehicles and boda bodas on the road. All road users need to consider their lives; they still have a future to live. The people on the side are now afraid to walk on the road due to the reckless driving behaviour of motorists,” he said.

He urged all road users to consider their lives, emphasising the growing fear among pedestrians due to the reckless driving behaviour of motorists.
Mr Beyanga appealed to all leaders, including heads of cultural institutions, to leverage their positions to spread the message of road safety. Mr Beyanga said his goal is to ensure the safety of road users, emphasising that many of those who perish in road accidents are still young.

Reckless 
During the team’s visit to Kyegegwa District, a potentially life-threatening incident occurred as they were painting a zebra crossing. A vehicle, on the verge of colliding with them, turned out to be driven by a well-known individual in the district. 
Ms Mable Nsemere, the Stanbic Bank branch manager, highlighted that the partnership with Joe Walker is a response to their financial institution losing numerous clients to road accidents. 

She said raising awareness about road safety issues is to prevent further loss of potential clients, stating: “If we continue losing them, we will not have clients to support our business in the future.”
Mr James Ruhweza, the Rwenzori West region police commander, disclosed that in 2023, the region recorded 175 fatalities on the road. 
She acknowledged the increasing trend of road crash cases and commended Mr Beyanga for initiating a campaign to create awareness on road safety, extending across districts in the Rwenzori West region.

 Mr Ruhweza expressed pride in associating with Mr Beyanga and the road safety campaign, emphasising the need to sensitise people on road safety issues and promoting responsible road use. 
Ms Nyakake commended Mr Beyanga for taking a bold step to raising awareness on road safety issues, saying as a cultural institution, they will continue raising awareness among the public.