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Over 100 legislators from Africa to meet in Uganda over road carnage

Mr Robert Kasolo(R), the Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Physical Infrastructure briefing journalists about the legislators’ meeting on road safety to be held at Speke Resort  Hotel Munyonyo today. PHOTO BY DAVID LUBOWA

By  JANE NAFULA 

What you need to know:

While addressing journalists at Parliament yesterday, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum for Road Safety, Mr Alex Ruhunda, said road accidents remain one of the top killers of people in Uganda and that as legislators, they have a role to contain the situation

More than 100 legislators from Uganda and other African countries are expected to meet today at Speke Resort Munyonyo to deliberate on measures that can be undertaken to contain road carnages in the continent.

The conference will be graced by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Thomas Tayebwa.

While addressing journalists at Parliament yesterday, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum for Road Safety, Mr Alex Ruhunda, said road accidents remain one of the top killers of people in Uganda and that as legislators, they have a role to contain the situation.

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“Since 2011, we have been mobilising Ugandans through our legislative duty to ensure that we save lives on the roads. This time around, we have brought our counterparts from all over Africa on board so that we can come up with a concrete solution to the problem and save lives,” Mr Ruhunda said.

He said it is unfortunate that 12 Ugandans succumb to road accidents daily yet this can be avoided.

ALSO READ: 90% of road accidents in Entebbe involve boda bodas, experts say

“It has given us bad publicity since these figures are likely to discourage investors from coming to invest in Uganda,” he said.

ALSO READ: 5 dead, 7 injured after truck transporting cattle crashes on Soroti –Mbale highway

Mr Robert Kasolo, the vice chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Physical Infrastructure, who also doubles as Iki-Iki County (Budaka District) MP, said when MPs come together to speak with one voice about road carnages, every individual will play their role to ensure the vice is minimised.

ALSO READ: Police officer, his wife and two children among six killed in Masaka road crash

“We believe that if we speak about road safety with one voice, we would help other agencies responsible to move faster and sensitise the public about what is happening. If we don’t wake up and address the problem at hand, more lives would be lost,” he said.

He advised drivers to avoid overspeeding saying it is the major cause of road accidents. 

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