Following the two grisly accidents in Kabarole and Mbale districts that have left over 26 people dead, legislators have called on the government to revive the directive to install speed governors in all public service vehicles.
At least 20 people were reported dead from an accident involving a Link Services Ltd bus along the Fort Portal-Kyenjojo Road in Kabarole and six people were reported dead in an accident along the Mbale-Tirinyi Road. Both accidents happened on Wednesday.
Despite the Ministry of Works and Transport issuing a statutory instrument on speed governors in 2004, the country continues to face challenges in regard to the enforcement of the same in public service vehicles.
MPs said the two incidences were an awakening call for the government to consider regulating speed on highways targeting public service vehicles.
Bukooli Central County MP, Solomon Silwany, said he had observed that the speed on highways is determined by the driver with minimal or no regulation from authorities.
“I use buses a lot and I realise that the speed the driver uses is determined by himself. If this does not stop, we will still have more of these accidents,” said Silwany.
Silwany asked the Ministry of Works and Transport to take a deliberate move and have speed governors installed in all public buses.
“I want the ministry of Transport and Works to come out, regulate speed, put speed governors, and monitor especially public transport vehicles that carry at least 10 passengers,” he said.
He raised the concern as a matter of national importance during the plenary sitting of Wednesday, chaired by Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa.
Tayebwa reiterated that the matter was urgently requiring a structured response from the government. He requested the Prime Minister to make a response to the House on Thursday, 12 May 2022.