KAMPALA – The spokesperson of the Directorate of Traffic Police and Road Safety, Faridah Nampiima has said that the message to do with road safety should advance from just the media to the communities.
Nampiima who was speaking at the road safety campaign that was organized by Community Life Church in Lungujja on December 3 said they want to get municipal councils, towns and city councils involved in road safety campaigns.
“As the traffic directorate we want to engage religious leaders because their followers use rides to go to where to pray from. People believe in them. Let them talk to them about road safety and usage,” she said.
According to Nampiima, community leaders such as the LC chairpersons know the different scrap dealers who buy road signage from people that steal them. She says if the campaign goes down to the grass root level, their message on road safety will have a wider reach.
She also advised the boda boda riders to get into the business knowing well the different laws that govern it lest they risk losing their lives.
“Lights and junctions should not be your playing field. Permit and driving license, helmet and reflectors should be a must.”
She took them through the different clauses in the law that governs transport and also highlighted different offences with their charges.
“We are going to Christmas and the end of year. Be vigilant so you do not get into trouble. People driving roads they do not know. Avoid acts that portray you as wrong people who are always on the negative side of the law.”
Abdul Kirabira, the vice president of Rubaga Boda boda Association thanked pastor Mugisha for being welcoming and accommodating to all people regardless of their political and religious affiliations.
Thanking Nampiima for spearheading the reflector campaign, Kirabira called upon his colleagues to be champions of change by changing their behavior on the road to safeguard lives.
“Legislation should be the same at all levels of leadership. Clashing within the different implementers of the law affects our work. Let police work hand in hand with boda boda leadership and not just use them when they need them,” he said.
Ms Angella Semukutu the President Uganda Biker’s Association revealed that the major cause of loss of lives on the road are speed and the boda boda’s desire to go ahead of the others all the time.
She urged the riders to respect road junctions, people with right of way and the different intersections.
“Passengers ask you to drive too fast for them to reach in time but have the courage to say no to them. Let us be champions of change. We cannot change all riders at once, but if we talk to you who are here, you could be our ambassadors to the rest,”she said.
According to Ms Semukutu, the public perception about boda bodas has over time been tainted, something she says has to change by doing more of such road safety campaigns to streamline their operations.
Kampala South RPC Charles Nsaaba urged the riders to take the message and start doing professional rides. He also highlighted the fact that Uganda is on high alert with terrorism and asked the riders to be conversant as many people use them to commit crimes.
“Terrorists are now working from here and using some of you to carry luggage. Theft is being done by the help of boda bodas, do not be caught on the wrong side of the law supporting crime.”
Nsaba also cautioned the riders on using mob justice on motorists saying the different cameras that were placed on the road are now exposing such cases and they should not be caught.
The Road Safety campaign was spearheaded by Community Life Church lead pastor Henry Mugisha who is a member and rider with Uganda Biker’s Association.
He shared that in his different rides, the accidents he encounters on the road motivated him to do a safety campaign to help train riders desist from reckless behavior on the road.
In the day-long workshop, riders were skilled on road safety measures and the different laws governing them on the road. Their spouses were also taken through entrepreneurial skills to enable them to become self-reliant. Uganda Bikers Association also led the riders in a ride around Lungujja to mark their commitment on road safety.
At the end of the day they were given reflector jackets, and their families’ essentials such as food stuffs and clothing, all proceedings from Community Life Church members.
