New police operation targets errant buses

Traffic Police spokesperson Faridah Nampiima. PHOTO/FRANK BAGUMA

What you need to know:

  • An operation against errant motorists from December 12 to December 14 saw 10,825 traffic offenders arrested on the road and issued EPS tickets.
  • Of these, 1,569 were arrested for reckless driving, 25,165 were arrested for driving vehicles that are in dangerous mechanical condition, and 868 were arrested for driving with invalid driving licences.

The Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety has cautioned drivers of buses not to step on the road if they do not have a badge with their details and route charts.

This follows an announcement last week where the police tasked bus owners to submit the particulars of their drivers to the Ministry of Works and Transport so that they can get badges.

“Last week, we passed a warning and issued an ultimatum of one week to the bus drivers and bus owners to go and register their drivers, to attain badges and the one week has elapsed. So, effective today (yesterday, January 16, 2023), every bus driver on the road is expected to display a photo in the bus and move with a copy of a badge that has his photo, his name, his driving licence number, and classes displayed plus the bus company he is operating in,” the spokesperson of the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Faridah Nampiima, said.

Ms Nampiima added: “Each bus must operate on its independent route chart and the route must have time. For any bus without the route chart, the owner must go to the Ministry of Works and Transport to rectify the issue. Any bus without the above requirements will not be allowed to operate from today and the drivers will be arrested at the checkpoints and the buses shall be sent back to the parks.”

Since the operation is being carried out on motorists that don’t have up-to-date driving permits, Ms Nampiima said for motorcycle riders who will be arrested for riding without driving permits, they will be issued Express Penalty Service (EPS) tickets that cost Shs40,000 and the motorcycle will be impounded until the owner clears the EPS ticket.

“If the rider runs away and the owner of the motorcycle comes to follow up on the motorcycle, the owner will be issued an EPS ticket of Shs100,000 for allowing someone without a licence to ride the motorcycle,” she added.

An operation against errant motorists from December 12 to December 14 saw 10,825 traffic offenders arrested on the road and issued EPS tickets. Of these, 1,569 were arrested for reckless driving, 25,165 were arrested for driving vehicles that are in dangerous mechanical condition, and 868 were arrested for driving with invalid driving licences.

Police added that those driving vehicles without third-party insurance were 784, those arrested for speeding (428), those arrested for not wearing seat belts (562), those arrested using vehicles without warning signs or reflectors (419), those using a hand-held mobile while driving (172), those driving without a valid driving permit (22), and those using vehicles with registration number plates which are obscured (52).

Riders without a crash helmet were 688. Those arrested for riding motorcycles without valid driving permits were 1,617 while those found carrying more than one passenger on a motorcycle were 135, among others.

From January January 12 to 14, in another operation held to curb motorists that don’t have driving permits in Kampala Metropolitan Area (KMP) South, 970 motorcycles were impounded, 695 were issued with the EPS tickets, 65 riders produced their driving licenses and permits, while 210 are still pending at police stations.

For KMP East, police impounded 212 motorcycles, 131 EPS tickets issued, eight riders were cautioned, and six produced their driving licences. While their motorcycles were given back, 68 motorcycles are still at police stations.

In KMP North, police impounded 508 motorcycles, 225 were issued EPS tickets, 30 riders were cautioned, 320 riders produced their driving licences and their motorcycles were given back, and 221 motorcycles are still pending at police stations.

The total of motorcycles impounded in those three days were 1,690 Those that were issued with the EPS tickets are 1,051. Those that are still pending at police stations are 221. 

From January 9 to 14, police registered 217 accidents, and of these, 51 were fatal, 164 were serious and 102 were minor. There were 303 victims in these accidents and 56 people died, while 247 were seriously injured.

Police said the boda boda riders contributed more in causing the accidents through reckless driving.
Other causes of the accidents were driving on the road without respecting road signs and markings, speeding is one of the other aspects that caused the crushes, drifting from one lane to another without proper caution, using hand-held mobile phones while driving on the road, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and also pedestrians crossing the road without proper caution. 

All those factors attributed to the 217 road crushes registered from January 9 to January 14 January.
Police tasked all road users to always be fit before using the road, seek help if one is not feeling well, and not to drive after taking alcohol or any drug.

Guidelines for events 
Following this New Year’s tragic concert at Freedom City in Kampala that left 11 people dead, police have come up with the guidelines organisers, promoters should follow in order to secure gatherings for concerts and performances, ceremonies, formal parties, outdoor and indoor activities mostly related to entertainment to keep safety and security as a priority.

Police rules on gatherings
• Organisers must write to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for clearances indicating clearly where the concerts will be and if they have reached an agreement with owners and managers of these venues, indicate the number of attendees, expected at the event, for better planning purposes.
• They must avail the IGP with measures they are putting in place for purposes of controlling crowds.
•  They must have clear and elaborate access control measures including walk-through machines, k-nine dogs and scanners.
•  They must have a plan to deploy private security and stewards who must be proportionate to the crowds and threat levels.
•  They must have a practical and approved traffic management plan which must include access, exit routes, parking centres.
•  They must also show capacity to handle emergencies, which include medical provisions, ambulances, fire safety systems and thorough evacuation plans.
• They should provide names, full addresses of the artists to perform at the given concerts.
•   Inspection and clearance of venues must also involve local authorities.
•  The police checklist will always be on exit points
•  Effective communication by organisers and security
• Practice and rehearsals of drills .
•  Ensuring that security guards and stewards are well trained.
•   Check mechanisms by the organizers on keeping watch on all parking places and keep an eye on surveillance cameras where they are available.