Iganga, (UG):- The Territorial Police in Iganga District fired live bullets in the air to disperse a crowd that had stormed the streets and closed down part of Iganga-Kaliro Road on Monday demonstrating over the accidents at the railway bridge just after Iganga town.
The angry locals closed the road for about four hours from 7 am and no motorcycle or motor vehicle was allowed to cross from Iganga to Kaliro side or vice versa, and had to use alternative routes. They accused authorities of not regulating sugarcane trucks against overloading, who end up pouring cane along the way hence causing accidents.
The demonstration comes after five people lost their lives in two separate accidents at the very point within less than a day. The first accident occurred on Sunday evening where four people were knocked dead by a speeding Tipa truck registration number UAX 363X.
The second accident occurred Monday morning involving a boda boda cyclist who was knocked dead by a yet-to-be-identified vehicle which was approaching Iganga town. Eyewitnesses told DailyExpress that he was trying to remove sugarcane which was poured in the road before meeting his death.
The chairperson of Nakalama sub-county in Iganga district Mr. Kawanguzi Hamidu Ssalongo says they agree with locals to demonstrate because they have on a number of occasions asked authorities to install speed humps at the black spot but all in vain.
“People are demonstrating for the very reason we have been raising to authorities but nothing has been done. People are demanding speed humps and we call upon the government to respond to the cries of the people because it is not good to lose five people in accidents in less than a day,” Mr Kawanguzi said.
He cited speeding by motorists and the absence of speed humps as the most cause of accidents along the road, with sugarcane trucks loading beyond the flyover height and end up pouring cane in the middle of the road which results in accidents. He asked the police to deploy at this point to restore sanity.
The district councillor Iganga northern division Mr. Mukisa Samuel alia Fire Master condemned authorities who have turned a deaf ear when a number of people are perishing. He said they have since raised the matter to the council and UNRA but all in vain.
However, police first engaged demonstrators to open the road peacefully before firing a number of bullets in the air to disperse them and clear the road to restore sanity and normal traffic.
Iganga DPC, SSP Byaruhanga Patrick said they were prompted to use reasonable force to bring the situation to normal as they engaged with responsible authorities to work on the grievances of the locals.
He suggested speeding and reckless driving as one of the causes of accidents in the area and he asked the locals to be calm and also urged people to be responsible while using the road and limit the risks of accidents.
“This is a black spot in terms of accidents but what I know is UNRA was engaged to see that humps are fixed here and they accepted. Because the road is very clear, there is speeding yet there are a number of roads connecting to this one and others just enter the road anyhow,” SSP Byaruhanga said before asking for responsible use of the road.
By press time, police were still at the scene but DailyExpress has understood that locals later closed the road again by burning logs in the middle of the road. Police have since arrested some people in connection to the incident.
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