Nation Media Group launches road safety campaign walk

Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMGU) has launched road safety campaign walk dubbed ‘Joe Walker’ to sensitise the public to take charge of their safety and that of other road users.Mr Joseph Beyanga, the head of radio at NMG-U, yesterday told a press briefing in Kampala that the walk, which will start in Kampala and end in Bushenyi District,  kicks off next Monday.

The walk, themed ‘safe roads save lives’, also aims at improving proper road usage through reducing accidents caused by reckless driving and careless road users.

According to Mr Beyanga, the walkers will make stops in the major towns on the Kampala – Masaka highway and engage the public in conversations about how to avoid accidents and save lives.

“We will make stops in Mpigi, Buwama,Lukaya, Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Bushenyi, creating awareness, drumming up one message; safe roads save lives,” he said.

The campaign is the brainchild of Mr Beyanga,  which is inspired by his father. 

“I will trace the footsteps of my father. Instead of walking from Bushenyi to Kampala, I will walk from Kampala to Bushenyi, I will go the opposite direction and along the way,  have conversations,” he said.

“My father walked from Bushenyi to Buganda looking at making our lives better, he was looking for a job, the formal economy and education had been introduced, he was already too old to go to school,” he added.

Ms Lorraine Tukahirwa, the brand manager of NMG, urged the public to stay fit and improve road safety for all users.

Ms Tukahirwa also advised the public to be more cautious while on the road and save families the avoidable trauma of losing a loved one.

The Joe Walker campaign also attracted several stakeholders, who partnered with Mr Beyanga. They include Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, which contributed Shs10 million, Plascon, a global paint company, and Tugende, a mobility social enterprise, among others.

The fleet manager of Coca Cola Beverages Africa, Mr Ronald Gayiya, said their support will improve road safety in communities.

“We are very passionate about road safety and believe that the safety of road users matters a lot. We believe we have a role to play and the same burden befalls the road users,”  Mr Gayiya said.

The starting point of the walk is at Monitor Publications Limited in Namuwongo, Kampala.

Road accidents 

According to the Police Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, road accidents claimed 131 lives between January 24 and February 6  this year.

Of the 131 fatalities, 65 people died in road accidents from January 24 to 30.

Between January 31 and February 6, more 66 deaths were registered out of the 372 road accidents recorded. 
Of the 312 people who sustained injuries during the same period, 185 were major, while 127 were minor.

Ms Faridah Nampiima, the traffic directorate spokesperson, said in many cases, pedestrian accidents are caused by reckless drivers.  According to the annual police report 2020, many road crashes involved pedestrians, constituting  the highest number of fatalities at 34 percent.