Uganda Marks Global Road Safety Week
Damba Rogers
Uganda has joined the rest of the world in marking the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week 2021 all motorists commit to deliver 30km/h speed limits in urban areas and school zones.
Globally, the period from 17th to 23rd May 2021 has been earmarked to commemorate the week under the theme “Streets for Life #Love 30″ that calls for 30 km/h speed limit on streets where people Walk to Save Lives, especially pedestrians, cyclists, children have environmental and other social benefits.
Launching the event at Uganda Media Center in Kampala, the Outgoing Minister for Works and Transport General Edward Katumba Wamala says Uganda is still faced with Road Safety challenges whereby in 2020, the reported deaths due to road crashes in were 3,663 across the country.
He cites last week on Thursday, May 6th incident at Kasijjagilwa Village near Gaz fuel station Kijjabwemi, Butego Ward, Kimanya-Kabonera Division in Masaka City, 15 lives were lost in one accident saying that the human and financial loss is very huge for a developing country like Uganda.
However, Minister Wamala says he has contacted the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola and the Police Acting Director Traffic and Road Safety Lawrence Niwabiine to address the issue of siren misuse.
According to the 2020 Police Annual Report, more fatalities were recorded for persons below the age of 35years and these accounted for 57% of all the fatalities includes school going children most of whom have to commute to and from school which increases their risk of exposure in crashes.
