At least 13 people perish on Uganda’s roads due to accidents, while about 35 more get injured daily, the Traffic Police spokesperson, Michael Kananura, has said.
“Those who survive with permanent injuries are more than those who die,” he said, appealing to motorists to exercise caution and utmost discipline while driving to protect vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
“Last year, we lost about 4,806 people in road crashes, and out of these, 60% were youth,” Kananura said. Kananura made the remarks at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) headquarters during the third edition of the Kampala Cycling Day last week.
The monthly event was held in partnership with eBee Uganda, an electric bicycle dealership in Kampala, which teamed up with Vision Group to promote safe cycling.
Other partners in the 12km cycling event included Rotarians, Fun Cycling Uganda, and Uganda National Roads Authority.
As part of the partnership, eBee provides over 20 electric bicycles to the riders from KCCA and other entities to promote e-mobility transport.
MEDIC WARNS
Dr Alex Munyambabazi, an amputee doctor from Mulago National Referral Hospital, appealed to motorists to desist from reckless driving, saying the economic cost caused by road accidents is a big burden on the country.
Munyambabazi, the founder and executive director of Amputee Self-Help Network Uganda, who lost his leg in a motor accident, blamed the rising cases of road accidents on reckless drivers.
Irene Namuyiga, KCCA’s road safety engineer, who spearheaded the cycling awareness campaign, said this was part of their efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels and promote air quality.
“We want to promote cycling in the city for in-city trips, short trips but also for out-of-the-city trips as well as promote the use of active mobility as part of our efforts in reducing air pollution,” she said.
Hakim Owiny, eBee’s e-mobility advocacy manager and the initiator of the Kampala cycling day, said cycling is a reliable means of transport that is environmentally friendly and healthy.
Biking is being promoted to solve Kampala’s air pollution challenges and environmental degradation.
E-biking slashes costs drastically with one charge lasting a maximum of five hours which can enable one to cover a distance of up to 90km.
