President Yoweri Museveni has warned thugs who steal road signs, saying they will be arrested for putting Ugandans’ lives at risk.
The President said that road signs such as reflectors, road guards, warning signs among others are crucial for security of both the roads and the road users and must be protected by all.
According to reports, stealing of vital road and warning signs especially along highways has resulted into tragic accidents.
The President was yesterday speaking shortly after commissioning the 68km Nyakahita-Kazo Road which was constructed at a cost of Shs 140billion. The road is part of the NRM manifesto commitments.
The President said government provides Shs3000bn for roads each year and pledged that more roads are going to be worked on.
Construction for the Nyakahita – Kazo road was funded by the Africa Development Bank and the Government of Uganda. It was constructed by China Communications Construction Company of China and supervised by UNRA project management team.
The UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina said the national roads network is currently 21,000km out of which 4000km are paved (Tarmac). She said within the next five years, the paved roads network will increase to 6000km. She urged communities to take full advantage of the improved condition of the roads to increase production and improve incomes.
Later the President presided over the passing out of over 8000 crime preventers at Nyakasharara grounds in Kiruhura district.
While addressing the crime preventers, the President stressed the need for such groups saying that they are very important to beef up security. He cautioned them to be disciplined and hard working and urged them to start up income generating projects such as poultry, fish, and coffee growing among others to improve their incomes.
He said for Uganda to achieve the current achievements including infrastructure development such as electricity and roads, the NRM government had to prioritize and be able to save the money to invest. He said that is why government deferred civil servants’ demands for salary increment.
The Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura commended the President for his support to the Police Force saying that it has helped them execute their mandate of keeping law and order.
He said that the community policing programme has done a lot in uniting Ugandans and scoffed at those who criticize it saying that even in developed countries, with advanced technology, they still use crime preventers.
