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Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Local leaders in Luwero district have demanded for erecting of humps along Kampala-Gulu highway to prevent rampant accidents in the area.
There are increasing accidents in Luwero district on a section of the Kampala-Gulu highway that have left some 15 people dead and scores injured since January 2021. At least seven people have been killed within Luwero town after they were knocked dead by speeding vehicles.
The latest accident occurred on Saturday when two people were knocked dead near St. Mark Cathedral church and another killed when a speeding truck rammed into offices of National Water and Sewerage Corporation -NWSC in Luwero town on Wednesday last week.
Now residents and local leaders say the accidents are partly as result of lack of humps along the highway. They now want Uganda National Roads Authority to erect humps in Luwero town and other black spots within the district to save lives.
Charles Ssebyala, the former LC 3 chairperson of Luwero town says that during his tenure, he wrote to Uganda National Roads Authority asking them to erect humps in Luwero town to limit speed and save lives but this was ignored.
Ssebyala says that many lives have been lost because drivers pass through the town at high speed killing motorcyclists, passengers and pedestrians.
Ssebyala says that there are a number of schools, hospitals and markets located along the highway, leaving them at risk of accidents.
John Baptist Mpiima, the LC 1 chairperson of Kiwogozi zone in Luwero town council says that earlier on, Uganda National Roads Authority rejected their request insisting it was a highway but this is no longer justifiable since the same authority erected humps at a private school in Bombo town.
Mpiima says that government should consider lives of its citizen first before thinking about transportation of goods on the road.
Paul Mukungu, the LC 3 chairman of Luwero town council says that he also brought the same issue to the attention of Transport and Works Minister Katumba Wamala and Uganda National Roads Authority.
Mukungu says that UNRA instead erected humps within Bombo town and Kalule trading center before they considered Luwero town.
Mukungu has asked his fellow leaders to put more pressure on UNRA to erect humps in the town saying he is counting many residents who have been killed in the accidents.
Denis Ssekabira, the Member of Parliament elect for Katikamu North said he intends to deliver a letter to Transport and Works Minister Katumba Wamala on Tuesday asking him to order UNRA to erect humps at black spots along the highway to save lives of residents.
Police in Luwero have repeatedly blamed the accidents on recklessness and the narrow road.
Authorities at UNRA station were unavailable to comment on the request but earlier on they also blamed the accidents on reckless driving rather than absence of humps on the road.
But Rose Birungi, the Luwero Resident District Commissioner said she was planning to meet UNRA and Police Commanders to see how to stop the rampant accidents on the road.
Birungi also wants UNRA to erect speed limit sign posts in black spots.
In 2016, Allen Kagina the Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) also admitted that the Bombo-Kafu road was narrow because they did renovation basing on old designs due to lack of funds.
Kagina was responding to a petition by the Regional Lorry Drivers and Transporters’ Association and Uganda Bus Drivers and Allied Association who said the narrow roads are the leading cause of accidents on highways.
She noted that UNRA was going to send a special team to do an assessment on all highways that connect to borders and establish which needs quick expansion to save the situation, but till now nothing has been done.
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