Residents of Mawokota county have threatened to protest over the Uganda National Roads Authority’s (UNRA) failure to install humps on Mpigi Road, which has led to many fatal accidents in Mpigi district.
According to the locals in Mpigi town, they are frustrated and tired of petitioning UNRA to put humps on the road that starts from Kalagala to Double Cure Hospital up to Mpigi town, but the authority pays a deaf ear to their pleas.
These remarks were made on October 28, 2024, after two children were killed in an accident by a speeding Sino truck in Mpigi town on October 27, 2024, in Kalagala village.
Reports indicate that the deceased were girls aged 16 and 8 who were knocked dead after the truck found them walking at the roadside.
Locals said that the accident happened when the truck was overtaking another truck on the road; it veered off the main road and crashed the victims, then drove off.
One local identified as Mike Kasumali disclosed that more than 30 people have so far died between Kalagala town and Mpigi town, especially near Rauza High School, ever since vehicles that are going to Masaka from Kampala were diverted by UNRA to pass through Mpigi town, making it a busy road with no humps.
Kasumali added that the highlighted areas are accident-prone places, citing that UNRA needs to put road signs that advise people to drive carefully so as to prevent and reduce road accidents.
“All vehicles from Kampala heading to Masaka pass through Mpigi town due to the ongoing road works on the new Mpigi-Busega expressway highway; however, most of the drivers drive badly and at high speed because Mpigi road is sloppy, so we believe these humps will help reduce road accidents and fatalities in Mpigi once installed,’’ he noted.
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Musa Bukenya, the LC V Councilor for Mpigi town council, said that the local leaders have written to UNRA about the same issue; however, they have deliberately refused, thus the locals’ threat to go to strike.
Bukenya added that zebra crossings are needed, but they haven’t been put.
’’UNRA is aware and I believe is tired of our complaints; however, we need its services so as to protect people’s lives and also reduce the accidents on Mpigi Road,” he said.
The community’s call for action is underscored by a broader context of road safety issues in Uganda, where statistics show a significant number of road accidents are attributed to reckless driving and dilapidated infrastructure.
The residents believe that installing speed humps would significantly reduce the risk of accidents and save lives along Mpigi Road.
