KIKUUBE – Ministry of Works and Police have launched an investigation into the increasing accidents on oil roads in Bunyoro region.
A team from Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), the Director of Traffic in Uganda Police, Ministry of Works and Kikuube district local government officials led by the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Amlan Tumusiime held a meeting after inspecting Hoima Sugar Company over the matter.
Edward Kizito, the Safety Officer in the Ministry of Works who represented Minister of State for Works Fred Byamukama said the investigations follow numerous complaints about the increasing accidents by errant truck drivers of the sugar companies and contractors of different roads in the region.
The investigation according to Kizito was ordered by President Museveni following complaints of increased accidents in the region that was reported to him recently as he was commissioning 346 km oil roads in the Bunyoro region.
Kizito noted that their investigation pointed out that the drivers of the sugarcane company and that of the road contractors were not following road safety and health guidelines.
He also attributed the increasing accidents to reckless driving, employing unqualified drivers and having vehicles on the road which are in dangerous mechanical conditions.
He noted that as Ministry, since they had identified some of the causes of the accidents, they were going to formulate measures to ensure that they fight against the road carnage in the region.
Lawrence Niwabine, Director of Traffic at Uganda Police said, between the year 2018 to 2021, 85 tracks on road construction and sugar companies got involved in accidents and killed many people.
He noted all these cases have never appeared in court and ordered police bosses in the region to see that these cases get settled for justice to prevail.
He further noted that if the file cases are not settled, someone will come out and take police to court and this will not be good on the side of the police as an institution.
He also said, there is a need to put in place a mechanism to reduce the road carnage in the region and ordered the police to take keen interest and arrest all contractors who do not follow health and safety guidelines.
The Kikuube RDC, Amlan Tumusiime called on Hoima Sugar Company, road construction companies and other companies operating in the region to adhere to traffic rules and regulations to ensure road safety. He noted that though they need these companies for development and creation of employment in the region, there is a need to protect the lives of the people.
The district woman MP Florence Natumanya said the investigation has come at the right time when several innocent people are losing lives in road accidents.
She noted that they have engaged the Hoima sugar factory management several times and the road contractors to follow traffic rules but they have failed to adhere adding that there is a need to have stringent measures to make them understand.
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