Govt moves to curb carnage

President Jakaya Kikwete addresses Tanzanians in London on Sunday. The President, who was on an official three-day state visit to Britain, also sent condolences to the families of the 22 people who died in a road accident in Rufiji District on Saturday. PHOTO | STATE HOUSE

By The Citizen Reporters

IN SUMMARY

“I have been saddened and shocked by the accident which claimed 21 lives at Kibupa Village in Rufiji District, Coast Region.


Dar es Salaam/Morogoro. The government has ordered for breathalysers and more speed guns for use by the traffic department to check rising cases of road accidents across the country.

Traffic commandant Mohammed Mpinga yesterday said the order for the breathalysers to randomly test alcoholism among public transport drivers and more speed guns are some of the quick measures that would be taken to check the rising cases of traffic offences.

He told The Citizen that the order for the alcohol blow had already been made only for funding constraints to delay delivery.

“We will re-introduce the alcohol blow soon in many parts of the country to check accidents, mainly attributed to human error.” He said the tools were first used at the main bus stand in Ubungo but were withdrawn as they were not enough.

Mr Mpinga said his department and the Suface and Marine Transport Authority (Sumatra) will today jointly issue their response to the shocking rise in fatal road accidents on Tanzanian roads that have killed about 40 people on a single day this weekend.

He spoke as reports emerged of more accidents yesterday involving buses. Some 29 passengers sustained injuries in separate road accidents in Morogoro. The accidents occurred along Morogoro-Dar es Salaam road involving Sumry and Nganga upcountry buses.

In the first incident, the Sumry bus heading to Dar es Salaam from Tunduma collided head-on with a small van that attempted to overtake a slowing vehicle at Mikese area.

Regional Police commander Faustine Shilogile said 15 people were injured in the accident and were rushed to the Morogoro Referral Hospital for treatment.

At Miembeni, a Nganga bus that was heading to Mbeya overturned as the driver lost control after the right front wheel burst, injuring 14 passengers.

Meanwhile, President Jakaya Kikwete has sent condolences to families of the people who were killed in a road accident on Saturday. The accident occurred in Coast Region. At least 22 people perished in the accident and 11 others were seriously injured.

According to a statement released by the State House directorate of information, the Head of State was saddened by the incident and wished the survivors a quick recovery.

President Kikwete said such deaths were unnecessary and that it was a big loss to the nation and the public at large.