Ugandan Youth

The member of parliament for Busiro East Merdard  Segoona has asked youth and elderly to value their vote in 2016 elections and vote the president who will be accountable and committed to invest in livelihood programmes to  boost their earning. Segoona says that youth and elderly have been deceived by politicians through the youth livelihood fund and Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment of elderly and many have failed to access such funds.
He says that the youth and elderly should reconsider their position and vote the president who will give them hope. He says that people should vote a new president into power instead of voting someone who has overstayed in power and has failed to account for the many years in power.

Since 2010, the elderly in 15 districts of Uganda have been receiving 25,000 shillings every month as part of a programme to empower them but non benefiting elderly people are cursing the programme. In 2016 government earmarked 265 billion shillings to empower the poor and unemployed youth countrywide in new a programme but some youth are still complaining that they were left out.

Also leaders of Boda boda riders in Kampala have warned boda boda cyclists against being excited by political aspirants and being lured into election violence. Addressing a news conference in Bakuli the leaders of  boda boda riders in Kampala who include Joseph Nsindazi, Deus Kananula, Kafero Atanansi among others say that boda boda cyclists should not be lured into  political violence to make others lose their lives and properties .

The group says that there are some bodaboda riders brought from outside Kampala to be used in destabilizing peace and cause violence against peaceful people. The leaders say that they will arrest any boda boda rider suspected of having intentions to cause violence and take them to police.

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Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya

Parliament mourned the death of Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya who was on Tuesday night shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Bweyogerere. A moment of silence was held in parliament in mourning the death Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya after the Minister of state for Internal Affairs Ambassador James Baba made a ministerial statement on the Sheikh’s murder on the floor of parliament.

Ambassador Baba described the death of Sheikh Kirya as a sad and tragedy event. He reported that even a bodaboda rider who was shot with Sheikh Kirya died today at Mulago hospital and three others are in the hospital receiving treatment. He said that the body guard to Sheikh Muzamilu Karibunda has been arrested and charged with neglect of duty and will be interrogated. He added that all police personnel attached to Bweyogerere police station have been suspended pending investigations as why they were not at patrol duty at the time of the incident, and stated that all the suspects will be arrested and brought to book.

The Ambassador called on anyone with information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators to report to police. He revealed that joint operation command report on the operation of the bodaboda industry will be used to streamline the bodaboda riders to stop incidents of murder using bodabodas since most of the prominent murders have been done by people on bodabodas.

Baba said that the operation to hunt the suspects is continuing.

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Rugunda said 95% of the road accidents could be prevented if only the people followed the road traffic regulations.

The Premier made the remarks while meeting a cross section of stakeholders on road safety who were led by Alex Ruhunda, Member of Parliament for Fort Portal Municipality and Member of Parliamentary Forum on road safety at the Office of the Prime Minister .

“The weaknesses and loopholes in the implementation of these measures need to be addressed,” said the Premier.

Ruhunda noted that it is time the government drew a roadmap for establishing the National Road Safety Authority, adding that all relevant laws should be expedited and brought to Parliament.

The head of Accident and Emergency at Mulago hospital, Dr Alex Bangirana said boda boda (Motocycle Taxi) injuries account for up to 50% of the road traffic crashes.

According to Uganda Helmet Vaccine Initiative (UHVI), use of helmets reduces the risk of severe head injury by 69% and risk of fatality by 42% while the annual crime and Police report, estimates that 18,368 crashes were recorded in 2013, while 19,870 were recorded in 2012.

Another study carried out by researchers from Uganda Christian University and Makerere University(2014), involving 1600 boda boda riders in Kawempe and central divisions of Kampala estimates that 55% of Boda Boda  riders had ever been involved in an accident.

The research also revealed that it costs up to 7 million shillings to treat cyclists with serious injuries and that the economic burden of motorcycle accidents in Uganda was estimated at US$3.6 million (about 9 billion shillings) annually.

Research also indicates that Uganda is among the seven African countries responsible for 64% of all road deaths. Others are Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2011-2020 the ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety.’

Other road safety stakeholders represented at the meeting were; Safe Way Right Way Uganda, Uganda Helmet Vaccine Initiative, Mulago hospital Accident and Emergency centre, Crossroads and Uganda Christian University, Mukono.

Dr. Rugunda as well paid tribute to health workers and the Uganda Police Force for their role in saving lives of road accident victims.

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