The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 43 people are recorded to have died through road accidents in Mbale city in less than one year.
Records show that from the month of January to date, 43 people have died as a result of accidents. In January for instance, 7 people were killed in road crashes, February 5, while 6 died in March and 2 died in the month of April.
In May, 6 died, June 7, July 7, August saw off 2, September 4, and 4 were killed in October.
Rogers Taitika, the Elgon police spokesperson says that the rate at which road crashes are occurring in Mbale is high and alarming, adding that all the crashes that the police have registered are caused by human error especially bad driving with people driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while talking on phone and failure to respect road signs and zebra crossings.
He cites Nauyo trading center, Namagumba, Mile 6 as some of the black spots where these accidents have often occurred.
Taitika said that the police is intensifying enforcement in the specific areas which are prone to crashes.
James Aggrey Chelengant, the Enforcement Officer of Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA Mbale branch, associated the increased road crashes in Mbale on the encroachment by people on the road reserves.
He said that most accidents that occur affect the people who have either settled in road reserves or those operating businesses in the reserves.
He cited Bugwere, Kikindu, the produce market in Industrial Area within the city as one of the areas where road reserves have been encroached on.
Ahamada Washaki, the Mbale Resident City Commissioner acknowledges that there is a lot of confusion on roads where market users have taken up road reserves which has affected traffic flow and has in the end caused crashes on the same roads.
Ibrahim Kasinga, a resident of Mbale city said that city roads are narrow and yet the city lies on the greater North road which carries heavy trucks that head to South Sudan.
He notes that the same roads have no sign posts and humps which would help both drivers and other road users which has led to avoidable accidents.
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