THE PERIODICAL INSPECTION OF VEHICLES OUGHT TO BE RE-INSTATED

Some few years ago it was a requirement to have vehicles inspected before being licensed to operate for a fixed duration; however, one budget speech did away with this practice and instead put an additional levy in form of tax on fuel. This strategy in terms of raising more revenue made sense but not on the side of road safety. Given the number of vehicles in bad mechanical condition on our roads together with the reckless driving of vehicles which may equally be in poor mechanical condition, I wish to appeal to the Minister of Finance to re-instate the requirement to have a periodical license for each vehicle which process would require that technical persons examine the mechanical condition in which a vehicle is before qualifying it to be licensed. Many vehicles are seen on the road but with questionable road worthiness and at the end of it, they are found involved in accidents which claim innocent lives. It is also very important for the Government to address the work of those who not only import used motor parts, but those who assemble these parts. It is common today to find accidents attributed to the bad fixing of the vehicle parts. Government ought not only get involved in the qualifying of used parts which are imported into the country but also the passing of vehicles whose parts are locally joined/fixed in the country so as to enhance safety of the road users and those who travel in the said vehicles.
Government ought to address the issue of the commercial motor cyclists who are reckless and more often than not cause accidents whose statistics are undisputed at many health units. The commercial motor cyclists ought to be removed from Kampala Central business centre. They are not only part of the confusion but many people’s lives are in danger at the hands of these reckless youths.