Police Issues Strict Measures Ahead Of Festive Season Celebrations

By Spy Uganda

Kampala: Uganda and the rest of the world will celebrate Christmas on 25^th /12/2021 boxing day on the 26^th/12/2021. End of year and beginning of the year on 31^st/12/2021 and1^st /01/2022 respectively.

The festive season is usually characterised by the increased movement of goods and persons, increased volume of traffic on roads since its characterised by lots of movements especially from urban centres to villages for Christmas celebrations, numerous social entertainment activities, religious functions, fireworks displays countrywide, political-related activities among others. Further, the schools are expected to open, the general economy will open up fully during this period.

Now, the Police Traffic Directorate has announced that since the country is still faced with covid 19 pandemic and the threat of the new variant, it will carry out the following measures to curb ”indiscipline” on the road.

1. Establishing barriers at identified black spots and speeding zones which will be manned day and night the checkpoints will be manned 24 hours /7 days a week.
2. Increase motorised patrols [vehicles and motor cycles]
3. Strengthening operations on speeding using the already deployed speed guns.
4.  carrying out operations on reckless driving and other offences that are largely responsible for road carnage.
5. Sensitizing road users against drunk driving all drivers are reminded not to drink and drive.
6. Ensuring that only competent drivers are on the roads by checking for validity of their driver’s licence all drivers are reminded to drive on roads with a copy of a valid driving license.
7. Inspecting vehicles to ascertain their roadworthiness and all drivers are reminded to avoid driving vehicles that are in a dangerous mechanical condition on the roads.
8. Enhance operations on boda boda.
9. Using CCTV cameras to arrest offenders.
10. We are to strengthen the fika salama operations at our fika salama checkpoints which operate 24 hours/7days.

Police says enhance community policing which is already being done by the different officers in charge of traffic in the different parts of the country and also asked the public to report traffic violations on board via 0800199099.

Police further says all offenders will be issued with express penalty ticket except for offences of failing to stop, reckless driving, drink-drive, causing bodily injury where offenders will be produced in courts of law.

”The EPS tickets shall be paid instantly before the offender proceeds on his or her journey,” says Police adding, ”all offenders who flout covid 19 SOPs shall be handed over to CID for prosecution and their vehicles impounded.”