Africa-Press – Uganda. POLICE|TRAFFIC|CHRISTMAS
KAMPALA – As the Christmas festive season draws closer, the Police have vowed to crack the whip on road users who defy traffic guidelines and the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs). The acting director traffic and road safety, Commissioner of Police Bazil Mugisha, told journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Monday (December 14, 2020) that the Police have increased the number of checkpoints and the staff on all roads. “It is Christmas season and soon it will be New Year’s Day. Traffic flow will be heavy as people travel to their villages to celebrate while others will be doing business. This season is characterised by excitement leading to recklessness on the road,” he said.Mugisha said the Police intend to strengthen the Fika Salama checkpoints to deal with errant road users.”These measures are also targeting drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs, vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions, bodaboda riders who flout traffic regulations and those who flout COVID-19 SOPs on the road,” he said. Mugisha defended the deployment of regular Police on the road, saying under the Traffic and Road Safety Act, they are authorised to man traffic as long as they are in Police uniform. Meanwhile, the Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, has said the joint task force has started enforcing the guidelines that were issued by the Media Council recently to compell all journalists covering elections to have accredited media budges from the council. Enanga said beginning December 21, all regional commanders have been asked to enforce the directive and allow only journalists who will have been accredited to cover the events. “We ask all journalists that will be covering these events beginning December 21 to co-operate with our officers when they are approached,” he said. Enanga warned journalists who intend to forge the press badges that they will be identified because of the security features that are on the press cards. He said the move is intended to crack down on fake journalists. Enanga also said they will investigate reports of assault of journalists covering election campaigns. He said although the Police have not yet received complaints from the alleged assaulted journalists, it has opened a file to investigate such abuses.
