Center for Prevention of Trauma,Injury &Disability

Congratulations Dr. @jimmy_osuret! As my teacher during my undergraduate course at @MakSPH, it’s a privilege to celebrate your achievement. Proudly associated! Your dedication and hard work in such a vital field-Road Saftey, have truly paid off. #PhD #PublicHealth #Mentorship

MakSPH Celebrates Mr. Davidson Ndyabahika @Makerere University School of Public Health proudly congratulates Mr. @dndyaba, our Communications Officer, upon earning his Master of Strategic and Corporate Communication at the 76th Graduation Ceremony. His dissertation, “Examining Knowledge Management and Strategic Communication Practices at the Trauma, Injury, and Disability Unit at Makerere University School of Public Health,” analysed how institutional knowledge can be mobilised and strategically deployed to strengthen research uptake, policy influence, and public health impact. Over the past five years, Davidson has served the School with creativity, dexterity, and diligence, consistently elevating our voice, strengthening our visibility, and bridging science and society. We celebrate not only his academic milestone, but also the excellence and commitment he continues to bring to our mission. #Mak76thGrad

ROAD CARNAGE: Illiteracy-Bred Indiscipline Is the Lead Fuel for Uganda’s Endless Accidents The death of my friend and former colleague, @kitonejulius , a journalist with Nextmedia , has robbed me of sleep since I watched that disturbing image of his head through that bundled Toyota Hiace. He's to be laid to rest today in Ntantamuki, Rakai District. His passing reopens wounds I have tried to heal since May 3, 2023 — the day I, too, survived a fatal accident where the two women I was seated amidst died on spot but I survived by the grace of God, on the same highway while still working in the same newsroom. What makes this loss even more haunting is that I spoke to Kitone on Thursday night. I had called him to cover our weekly Hybrid Press and Public Engagement at ULS House. He told me he would be traveling to Western Uganda on Friday — a journey that turned out to be his last. “Counsel,” he used to joke, because I largely covered court. We called him “Ambassador” after his trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, to report on climate issues. “I will not be your saviour this time. Simply call Senga (Ms. Prossy Kisitu, one of the senior news producers at nbs and who sometimes deploys journalists). I’m sure she will get you someone.” he advised. Today, those words echo painfully. As someone who frequently travels that same road to Bushenyi — my home — I cannot help but feel goosebumps. My elderly mother counts the days between my visits, sometimes joking that Kampala has swallowed me. Each journey now feels like a gamble with fate. But grief aside, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: road carnage in Uganda is largely driven by indiscipline rooted in poor training and illiteracy. Let me speak plainly to drivers who boast about their skills yet insult others for “delaying” them on the road. Which accredited driving school did you attend? How did you obtain your driving permit? Do you fully understand road signage, highway code communication, and the responsibilities that come with being behind the steering wheel? Do you know when to and when not to overtake or you think overtaking is when the one you are following reduces speed for you? In Uganda today, many people “learn” to drive on football pitches or in open compounds. Within days, they graduate to highways — confident not because they are skilled, but because the vehicle is automatic and “easy to handle.” Shortly thereafter, a bribe of less than Shs 500,000 allegedly finds its way to an Inspector of Vehicles, and a driving licence is issued. I wish people confessed how they got that driving licence! The result? Drivers who lack foundational training operate with ego, impatience, and reckless bravado. They reject correction because they must “prove a point that they are seniors.” Criticism to them is often met with arrogance: “Gwe eyanjigiriza okuvuga?” (Are you the one that taught me how to drive?) This culture is killing us. I call upon the @MoWT_Uganda to conduct comprehensive audits in taxi and bus parks across the country. Let every driver present certified documentation from a recognized driving school. Let competency be tested afresh if necessary. Sample out two or three waragi-drinking drivers and ask them a question; "At what point can you overtake?" You will be shocked. The resistance to speed cameras by a large section of drivers is itself vindicates not only ignorance but sheer myopia. Speed monitoring is not persecution; it is protection — for drivers and passengers alike. Rejecting enforcement measures only exposes the depth of the problem. How often do taxi and bus associations conduct mandatory refresher trainings? How frequently are accident reports reviewed collectively to identify recurring mistakes and dangerous patterns? Professional transport sectors worldwide treat such reviews as non-negotiable. Here, they are dismissed as inconveniences because someone is rushing to catch the next trip during peak season. Discipline may be a personal trait, but professionalism institutionalizes discipline. A driver should not access public roads without verifiable training credentials, proper identification, and proof of competence. Traffic Police enforcement must shift from opportunistic roadside stops to structured, intelligence-led operations that deter violations consistently. There must be consequences severe enough to instill fear of wrongdoing — not fear of bribery, but fear of accountability. Unless Uganda decisively regulates informal, playground-trained drivers and restores professionalism in the transport sector, road accidents will continue to claim our brothers, sisters, parents, and friends. If we normalize mediocrity behind the wheel, every family will eventually prepare a grave. And that is a tragedy we can prevent. Rest In Peace, Ambassador Kitone FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY Courtesy Image

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