THE government has been urged to take stringent measures in order to curb corruption and negligence on part of law enforcement agencies so that accidents could be minimized in the country.
The call to that effect was echoed by the Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) secretary general Ennea Mrutu in an interview he granted to the Guardian in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
He said Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA) has decided to use information and communication technology to educate its members on the increased road accidents, so as to avoid making mistakes while on the road.
"The national road safety committee should also show the way by discussing with relative transport stakeholders and road users alike on the importance of curbing road carnage in the country,” he said.
He added that although Tanzania amended its Road Safety Act in 1996 to require all bus owners to fix speed governors in their buses, the exercise couldn't yield the expected results as accidents increased dramatically.
Of course something is wrong somewhere, and a solution to the problem must be found quickly.
According to latest statistics, last year alone, 926 bus accidents claimed 332 lives and injured 1833 people.
He said this year alone, a total of 8,164 accidents has occurred, causing 1,126 deaths and 6,910 people were injured.
He said Tanzania Bus Owners Association has signed a contract with the Arusha-based Utrack system for the latter to install a tracking system for buses.
However, talking to this reporter at a meeting involving all Taboa members, some bus owners were unhappy with the initiative apparently because it will be difficult for them to install the equipment because it involves a lot of money.
Other Taboa members believe that the association is right to urge its members to install the U-Track System for the safety of passengers and the buses.
However some transport experts in the country have broken the silence and are warning the alarming wave of fatal road accidents will not abate unless only professional drivers are allowed to man lorries and passenger buses.
The road carnage continues to claim hundreds of lives and leaves thousands with permanent disabilities.
Speaking to this paper, some experts categorically stated that shortage of professional drivers, particularly of passenger vehicles, was the major cause of accidents currently claiming an average of 2,600 lives each year.
Statistics on road accidents in Tanzania have remained shockingly high for years now.
Apart from almost 3,000 people dying annually, thousands are left with permanent disabilities caused by severe injuries.
Alarming occurrences have involved upcountry-bound buses and the government is yet to find a lasting solution to the nagging problem.
The experts are particularly worried by an apparent failure by authorities to strictly enforce existing road safety regulations, sighting high level of corruption as the root cause of the problem.
Dr Emmanuel Mushaka, a retired university professor said it should be mandatory for lorries and buses to be handled only by professional drivers who have passed the necessary tests.
“The government should firmly declare that drivers must go to school, otherwise they are not allowed to operate vehicles,” he said.
He said although they have not done research on the matter yet, unqualified drivers account for over 70 per cent of bus and lorry drivers in Tanzania, because they get driving licences through dubious means, including bribery.
He estimated that as many as half of passenger bus drivers in the country are using fake or illegally obtained licences.
He urged police to make extra efforts to boost road safety in order to reduce persistent road accidents, which cost lives of innocent civilians and their properties.
Mr Mrutu said should serve as a challenge to the police and other road safety security organs to intensify efforts to make roads safer for all users.
“We want road safety laws to be enforced including the safety of vessels and passengers. The police must ensure that this is implemented,” he concluded.
He reminded traffic police to not only jump into action when an accident has happens by arresting the driver of the bus, and Sumatra imposing a ban on its operations.
Mrutu said the problem will persist and grow unless police and other law enforcers strictly enforce safety rules by holding accountable all those who break the road safety rules and regulations.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Shirika la ndege la Precision na Kenya Airways wadhamini mashindano ya Gofu
PRESS RELEASE/TAARIFA KWA VYOMBO VYA HABARI
Dar es Salaam, November 18th 2011. Shirika la ndege linaloongoza Tanzania la Precision wakishirikiana na shirika la ndege la Kenya Airways wanayofaraja kutangaza udhamini wao katika umoja wa Gofu (TGU) ikiwa imeandaliwa na Gymkhana Club mjini Arusha ikifanyika kuanzia tarehe 10 hadi 11 Desemba 2011 jijini Arusha.
Akiongea wakati wa mkutanao na waandishi wa habari katika klabu,,Mkurugenzi wa Biashara wa shirika la ndege la Precision Mr. Phil Mwakitawa alisema kwamba mashindano ambayo yamedhamiria kukusanya wahiriki zaidi ya 100 mpaka 150 kutoka Nairobi, Arusha na Dar es Salaam ni nafasi nzuri kwa washirika wa kampuni zote mbili za ndege kujihusisha katika kutangaza uboreshaji wa afya kwa njia ya michezo ya gofu.
Na wakati huo huo Meneja wa nchi ya Tanzania wa Shirika la ndege la Kenya Airways Bi. Lucy Malu aliongeza kwamba shirika la ndege la Kenya na Precision Air waliwahi kuunga mkono hapo awali na pia wanayofaraja ya kuendelea kuunga mkono hata kwa mwaka huu kwasababu ni sehemu ya kutangaza gofu ya ubora kwa Afrika Mashariki nzima.
Mwenyekiti wa Umoja wa Gofu Tanzania , Bwana. Paul Matthysen ameomba udhamini katika shirika la ndege la Precision na Kenya Airways’ kwenye mashindano haya kama njia ya kuchangia katika kutangaza Gofu Tanzania na Afrika mashariki kwa ujumla.
“Mchezo wa Gofu Tanzania na Afrika Mashariki bado ni mchezo unaaokua. Kwa kupitia mashindano kama haya ndipo tunapata uzoefu na kuwa katika nafasi ya juu duniani katika mchezo,” Alisema huku akisisitizia watu waje kushuhudia Mchezo huu utakaofanyika pale Gymkhana Arusha.
Shirika la ndege la Precision na Kenya Airways wametia saini katika mkataba wa makubaliano ya udhamini na Klabu ya Gymkhana Arusha kama wadhamini wakuu wa mashinano haya kwa mwaka 2011.
Dar es Salaam, November 18th 2011. Shirika la ndege linaloongoza Tanzania la Precision wakishirikiana na shirika la ndege la Kenya Airways wanayofaraja kutangaza udhamini wao katika umoja wa Gofu (TGU) ikiwa imeandaliwa na Gymkhana Club mjini Arusha ikifanyika kuanzia tarehe 10 hadi 11 Desemba 2011 jijini Arusha.
Akiongea wakati wa mkutanao na waandishi wa habari katika klabu,,Mkurugenzi wa Biashara wa shirika la ndege la Precision Mr. Phil Mwakitawa alisema kwamba mashindano ambayo yamedhamiria kukusanya wahiriki zaidi ya 100 mpaka 150 kutoka Nairobi, Arusha na Dar es Salaam ni nafasi nzuri kwa washirika wa kampuni zote mbili za ndege kujihusisha katika kutangaza uboreshaji wa afya kwa njia ya michezo ya gofu.
Na wakati huo huo Meneja wa nchi ya Tanzania wa Shirika la ndege la Kenya Airways Bi. Lucy Malu aliongeza kwamba shirika la ndege la Kenya na Precision Air waliwahi kuunga mkono hapo awali na pia wanayofaraja ya kuendelea kuunga mkono hata kwa mwaka huu kwasababu ni sehemu ya kutangaza gofu ya ubora kwa Afrika Mashariki nzima.
Mwenyekiti wa Umoja wa Gofu Tanzania , Bwana. Paul Matthysen ameomba udhamini katika shirika la ndege la Precision na Kenya Airways’ kwenye mashindano haya kama njia ya kuchangia katika kutangaza Gofu Tanzania na Afrika mashariki kwa ujumla.
“Mchezo wa Gofu Tanzania na Afrika Mashariki bado ni mchezo unaaokua. Kwa kupitia mashindano kama haya ndipo tunapata uzoefu na kuwa katika nafasi ya juu duniani katika mchezo,” Alisema huku akisisitizia watu waje kushuhudia Mchezo huu utakaofanyika pale Gymkhana Arusha.
Shirika la ndege la Precision na Kenya Airways wametia saini katika mkataba wa makubaliano ya udhamini na Klabu ya Gymkhana Arusha kama wadhamini wakuu wa mashinano haya kwa mwaka 2011.
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