Uganda Police Force is in the process of revisiting traffic rules and guidelines to come up with more specifics on who in the country is entitled to the right of way.
The Inspector General of Police Gen Edward Kale Kayihura revealed on the weekend that police are currently engaging with government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, which are currently the greatest abusers of the right of way.
“We are going to publicize the new rules especially on the question of government vehicles which bully other road users,” said the IGP, while appearing on a city radio talk show on Saturday. “We are going to come up with clear guidelines and we shall make them public.”
The IGP however didn’t specify whether the ongoing revision will involve amending the Traffic and Road Safety Act (1998), which specifies the group of people allowed the right of way.
The law allows ambulances, President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice plus a bullion van from Central Bank right of way.
However, according to the Director of Traffic and Road Safety in the Uganda Police, Dr Steven Kasiima, there a number of government officials and institutions which continuously abuse traffic rules by claiming the right of way.
These are mostly ministers, heads of government departments, as well as some police and army officials. Others that illegally claim right of way are traditional leaders and commercial bank bullion vans.
The IGP during the radio talk show revealed that police after coming up with the new rules, will also endeavor to publicize them as much as possible to ensure that all road users are aware of their rights.
“We will agree within the government system, who is entitled to a right of way and who is not; because this should not be on the basis that one is a big person,” he said.
“It must be because of an emergency that you have to cause inconvenience to other road users. But also this has to be agreed upon so that everybody knows.”