By Our Reporter
Vivo Energy Uganda, the company that distributes and markets Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Uganda, together with NTV Uganda, Uganda Police, National Road Safety Council and Uganda Red Cross have flagged off the 2019 Tweddeko Caravan.
Now in its third edition, the Tweddeko Caravan annually travels along select major highways leading out of the capital city Kampala, to relay practical road safety messaging, training and to engage with the communities located in accident prone areas along such routes in a bid to address the road safety inequalities.
This initiative is part of Vivo Energy Uganda’s on-going Tweddeko campaign, which uses TV messages to educate and inspire people to change their behaviour on the road.
The Tweddeko Caravan, was flagged off from Kalerwe Market Roundabout on Thursday morning, with planned stops at Kawempe market area and accident-prone areas along the highway in areas such as Matugga, Bombo, Ndejje and Wobulenzi.
Made up of more than twenty (20) vehicles on each route, the Tweddeko Caravan will share road safety messages directed to boda boda riders, taxi drivers, bus drivers, passengers, pedestrians, road side vendors and drivers of personal vehicles. They will also show videos with Tweddeko stories from road crash victims, testimonies and inspiring road safety messages.
The audiences will also receive first aid training for supporting victims of road traffic accidents as well as distribution of road safety material such as the Uganda Highway Code, road sign charts and educational flyers.
Speaking at the flag off ceremony the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda, Mr. Gilbert Assi said: “As a major gateway to the Northern corridor and a key facilitator of import and export trade in this country, the Kampala-Luweero highway was earmarked for this year’s Tweddeko Caravan due to the high crash rates and loss of lives, numerous dangerous black spots and high levels of traffic of both commercial and passenger vehicles. It is our desire as Vivo Energy Uganda to increase road safety awareness, to train emergency first responders to potential accidents and educate the masses along the route on the highway code and road safety, especially as the festive season approaches.”
Assi added, “Despite the commendable strides that have been made by key stakeholders in this aspect, we realise that a lot more can be done to improve the overall road safety statistics in Uganda. As Vivo Energy Uganda, we pledge our commitment to this cause. We are delighted to play a pivotal role in mobilising and joining key players in the transport sector to contribute to efforts in pursuing the SDG target of halving the number of fatalities on our roads by the year 2020, as part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety as proclaimed by the United Nations in 2010.”
The Minister of State for Works and Transport, Hon. Gen Katumba Wamala, who officially flagged off the Tweddeko Caravan, commended Vivo Energy Uganda and its partners for its commitment to complementing the government’s efforts in championing safer road use in Uganda.
“The government of Uganda has made significant investment in the improvement of road transport infrastructure in this country with an intention of creating opportunities for trade and other economic activities and the improvement of livelihoods though increased mobility of both goods and passengers. However, it is unfortunate that the same infrastructure has cost the government through the loss of lives, property and opportunities through road accidents that are largely preventable. As the festive season nears, we urge you to make road safety a personal priority and to take advantage of the Tweddeko Caravan to learn more about safer road use.”
The campaign was first launched in February 2017 and throughout the past three years, the campaign has used stories of lives that have been impacted by road traffic crashes, pledges by responsible citizens and road safety tips to inspire change in road users’ behaviour.