Transport Minister Launches Road Safety Campaign Week “Street For Life #Love30”
Kampala: Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala has on Friday, 14th, May, 2021 launched the sixth Global road safety campaign week dumbed Streets for Life #Love30.
While addressing Press at Uganda Media Centre, Kampala, Gen. Katumba Wamala said that this week is for promoting the idea of limited speed while driving in Urban Centres of the country as they pursue to reduce on reckless and preventable accidents in Cities.
In this campaign week, the ministry is arguing people especially motorists operating in Urban Centres not to drive over 30km/h speed as one of the ways to reduce accidents and give all the road users to enjoy their rights on road.
“The calls for 30 km/h speed limit on streets where people Walk to Save Lives, especially pedestrians, cyclists, children have environmental and other social benefits.” Said Gen. Katumba Wamala.
Research has shown that reducing speed by 5% cuts fatalities by 30%, I therefore call upon each and every one to embrace 30km/h in urban areas in order to protect and save lives. Speed is a factor in over 50% of road crashes in Africa. Speeding makes driving more dangerous“
According to Police reports, 2020, accidents led to the death of 3,663 People and Minister belives that such death can be reduced if drivers, passengers and other road users embrace and love 30km/h.
“My fellow countrymen, Uganda is still faced with Road Safety challenges. In 2020, the reported deaths due to road crashes in Uganda were 3,663. But if we embrace this campaign #Love30, such deaths will be avoidable.
About the bad roads in the cities especially in Kampala, the minister said that they are working hand in hand to see that Kampala turns to be the real city not something like it is now.
Despite the fact that a week ago, the Minister for Kampala Hon. Betty Amongi Ongom said that they (KCCA) are going to repair the roads in bad state, Minister said that Kampala roads needs an overhaul, they need to be reconstructed other than repairing the warn out roads.
Gen. Katumba Wamala also hinted on traffic in Kampala and the research they are on as a ministry to see that traffic jam is solved to the city. Wamala said that in the near future, the country will have modern trains and town service buses that will work in city centers because they believe that can help to solve the challenge of congestion and reduce on road accidents.