Ending anarchy on roads will take concerted effort

Riders, we can do better, our city is in chaos and it is not the case in other cities and it is embarrassing. It has now reached a level where they [boda bodas] now ride in opposite direction. This must stop with immediate effect, we cannot allow anarchy here,” were the strong words of State minister for Works Musa Ecweru this week.

He made these remarks while launching the National Road Safety Week, an annual event that is marked to raise awareness about road safety and promote steps to stop needless deaths and injuries.

Mr Ecweru also used the occasion to warn motorists, especially Cabinet ministers, to respect traffic rules and stop the arrogance they exhibit on the road. This appeal comes just days to Christmas, a season that sees an increase in accidents.

The minister’s choice of words is spot-on. A drive around the country, especially in Kampala City, will reveal one thing: Total chaos. Anarchy.

Boda boda riders, for some reason, seem to be exempt from traffic laws. They do not respect traffic lights, carry more passengers than are permitted to, carry cargo dangerously, ride on pavements and now move on the wrong side of the road.

Drivers of government cars are not any better. Many VIPs moving in government cars seem to think they have the right of way. They do not obey traffic rules, drive on the wrong side of the road and overtake dangerously.

Then there is the category undisciplined road users, led by taxi drivers, who basically follow the same script of disregarding traffic laws.

This cannot be allowed to continue. If everyone, for instance, observed only the speed limit, we would reduce accidents by 50 percent, according to the minister. This should be a wakeup call; we are not in a jungle without rules. We have the Traffic and Road Safety Act and the Uganda Police Force to enforce it.

We appeal to the Executive to make a pronouncement on the issue of ministers abusing traffic rules. This category includes senior security officials. The law is clear on who has the right of way. The others should follow the law, like the rest of the ordinary road users.  

And then we appeal to police to enforce the law. To those officers who are giving the Force a bad image, stopping errant drivers should be to punish them; not to make money out of them. 

Something needs to be done for us to reverse this trend, which seems to explain the high number of accidents we get on our roads. If we all planned our journeys early, followed traffic rules and police did their job to apprehend the errant ones, then the anarchy would end with immediate effect.