Traffic police arrests wreckless State House driver

Mbu traffic police in Kampala have this morning arrested a State House driver after he allegedly attempted to make a U-turn at Aga Khan Primary school gate and intimidating officers who tried to stop him.

“We are opening a war at government vehicles now in addition to boda boda riders who exhibit impunity,” Commissioner Transport Regulation and Safety, ” Winstone Katushabe said.

“I have called Transport Officer in President’s Office for the action I have taken and the driver must be prosecuted. How the vehicle will be removed, that is not my business. This impunity by such hooligans must be checked,” Katushabe added.

The English say, ” Katushabe has balls!” This is what many are fearing these days and it has become mundane. Most drivers breach traffic rules simply because they are driving State House cars, yet there are traffic rules governing use of roads.

It is actually ignorance not impunity, some of these drivers do not know that State House cars, which are not on president’s convoy are subjected to traffic rules like any other cars.  These drivers have never asked themselves why a president’s convoy has police lead cars. They should know this is the reason; such breaching of traffic rules is prevented.

Afande Katushabe did the best thing, but he might have opened a bad door. He reminds me of an incident that happened on Masaka Road at around Nsangi. Traffic officers stopped buses that carried exess passengers even on their tops, yet these were National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters who were going to Kololo.

The gullible traffic officers thought were doing their good job of preventive measures; preventing passengers from falling off the bus-tops, but they were accused of sabotage. Pick up trucks were sent from Kololo Airstrip to Nsangi to bring the stubborn traffic officers. That was the end of jobs career. So Afande Katushabe may follow sort.