Respect traffic police officers in order to save lives on our roads

The recent gruesome killing of a traffic police officer on duty by an errant driver is shocking and the person who committed the offence should expeditiously be hunted down and brought before the law.

It is unfortunate that in Uganda some people have developed a habit of taking the law in their hands, and in the process harming the interests of several other people who are directly or indirectly connected to the repercussions.

Indeed today, the poor use of our roads must be of concern for every right thinking Ugandan, given that of recent the country has been awash with stories of fatal accidents, most of them arising from speeding, reckless drinking, drunk-driving and the failure to observe the road traffic signs. Such disturbing incidents have gained currency largely due to a breakdown of the moral fibre in our society, an unfortunate development that must be brought to a halt before it fosters the wanton decimation of the many innocent souls that ply the Ugandan roads.

That said however, there is also need for the traffic officers to step up their game by avoiding compromise, normally where it involves the validity of the documents presented by the drivers. Lastly, the police should consider re-testing drivers, mostly those who drive commuter taxis and buses, as this will go a long way in streamlining road use. In turn the initiative will also lead to a return of sanity on the roads.