Political influence affecting traffic enforcement in Lango – Police

The Deputy Director of Traffic and Road Safety has assured people that the Police will enforce the traffic Act to the dot.

Lira – January 13, 2022: The Monday fatal road crash that left nine people dead and seventeen others battling for their lives have put the national focus on the Lango sub-region, with leaders issuing guidance whilst blaming one another.

Before the Monday road crash, two separate crashes had happened in which two lives were lost. Lango sub-region has lost eleven people in less than five days.

On Monday, traffic chiefs sat down with drivers and transportation managers in Lira City to find solutions to curb future crashes. The meeting was also attended by political and business leaders.

SP Eugene Elwaru who represented the Regional Police Commander (RPC) of North Kyoga in the meeting highlighted the causes of road crashes in the Lango sub-region

He mentioned reckless driving, drink driving, overspeeding, careless pedestrians: Boda Bodas riding carelessly, overloading, driving trucks in dangerous mechanical conditions, overtaking, among others.

SP Elwaru added, “As police we have external and internal challenges. Among the external problems are political influence.”

He revealed that when truck drivers are arrested phone calls come in from politicians requesting them to leave the drives (suspects). Lack of organized transport stages and unqualified drivers employed by truck owners.

Deputy Director Traffic and Road Safety ACP Philip Acaye was the Chief Guest. He said the accident that happened recently has “made Lira City the most dangerous city to live in”.

“From 23 to 26 December, the statistic show that North Kyoga is number two in the whole country and from 31 to 2 January, North Kyoga is still number two,” ACP Acaye said.

“This makes me ask: ‘where is Lira heading to’”.

ACP Acaye told passengers that being allowed to be carried in a dangerous position in a vehicle qualifies them for jail.

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He advised both road users and passengers to be responsible.

“Why is the accidents happening in Lango not any other places?” he asked, and swiftly went on to call for a joint effort by everyone to bring road crashes to an end since the reasons have been given to them.

Traffic personnel in North Kyoga will commence strict operations using technology to track those who disobey the laws. Cameras and speed guns will be used, according to Acaye.

Meanwhile, Director Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Northern Uganda, Bosco Ogwang Edola blamed truck and bus drivers for not respecting small vehicles.

police — **Different stakeholders attended the Thursday meeting in Lira City.** *Photo by Isabella Olong/TND News.*

Edole urged the drivers to change their attitude because roads are not theirs alone.

“I request you to continue with this kind of meeting every quarter to reduce rate of the stupid accident,” said Edola.

Tom Adile is the chairperson of truck drivers that carry passengers to different markets. “The indiscipline of those i work with is making my work hard.”

“Passengers prefer drivers who over speed and when a driver is not over speeding passengers do not want to board that vehicle. This is causing accident,” he told the meeting.

Lira City Council Mayor, Sam Atul appealed to the drivers to “have the law at heart when they drive even though they are not seeing traffic officers”.

Atul further urged them to have respect among themselves to help address their issue.

For Lira traffic data or related stories, click here.