Africa-Press – Uganda. It was reported in the media that the Ministry of Health is planning to purchase 350 ambulances for use in the country .
This is one of the decisions that all Ugandans should support as we always see many people struggling to take the sick to different government hospitals in spite of the challenges in the same hospitals.
Government spends colossal sums of money on the purchase and maintenance of vehicles. It is only in Uganda that you will find a driver of a government vehicle wielding a lot of power and rights on the road.
The drivers are intolerant of other motorists. They overtake on road shoulders , jump traffic queues , overtake at blind spots and all sorts of traffic irregularities are associated with this class of motorists. It has always baffled me how these drivers exhibit all these traffic disorders as the principals being chauffeured are in apparent comfort and perched in the behind seats reading newspapers !
It is on record that many government vehicles always get involved in accidents as the traffic officers on the roads are reluctant to book them for obvious reasons.
Many of the hospital and government ministry premises are littered with vandalised and broken down vehicles. It is an eyesore to see many not road worthy ambulances parked at public hospital due to poor maintenance and handling. Why can’t government come up with a law on the maintenance of government vehicles ?
Percy Mulamba Munwankyo,Kampala
