Members of Parliament have called for the establishment of fire brigade departments at different regional police stations across the country to prevent property destruction and loss of life in fire incidents.
The proposal follows a devastating fire that occurred after a fuel tanker overturned in Kigogwa town along the Kampala-Gulu highway, claiming the lives of 15 people and destroying property on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Hon. Betty Ethel Naluyima (NUP, Wakiso District Woman Representative) argued that the availability of fire brigade stations would have significantly mitigated the adverse effects of the fire, which claimed lives and gutted shops. She emphasized the importance of having fire brigades stationed throughout the country, as relying solely on the Kampala station proved to be inefficient.
“My prayer is that we have fire brigades at different points countrywide because we cannot keep relying on the Kampala station. The one and a half hours it took Police to negotiate their way to the scene, would have saved a lot if it was closer,” Naluyima said during a plenary sitting held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
Naluyima also called for continuous public awareness campaigns on how to handle road accidents, especially those involving fuel trucks. She suggested that the incident could have been prevented if people were aware of the dangers of siphoning fuel.
While chairing the sitting, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, alluded to similar incidents that occurred in 2021 in Namungoona and in 2019 in Rubirizi, and called for continued public sensitization about the dangers of siphoning fuel.
Hon. Paulson Luttamaguzi (DP, Nakaseke South County) urged the House to consider budget allocations to enable Uganda Police to set up fire brigade stations across the country.
“I propose that in the next budget, we make it a necessity that every regional police station should be equipped with a fire brigade vehicle. Our time of lamentation is over, we are Members of Parliament and we can do that,” Luttamaguzi added.
Hon. Jonathan Odur (UPC, Erute County South) urged the government to initiate a process of re-inspecting all fuel tankers transporting fuel around the country to ensure they meet safety standards. He highlighted that many fuel tankers are fabricated for different purposes and may not be equipped to handle extreme conditions like accidents.
Bukoto County East MP, Hon. Evans Kanyike urged relevant government agencies to implement the Presidential directive halting fuel trucks from driving through the Kampala Metropolitan Area during daytime.
The Speaker tasked the government with conducting a thorough investigation into the incident and presenting a report on safety measures to prevent such accidents from happening again.
The Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, said relevant government ministries would be tasked with investigating the matter in relation to concerns raised by legislators, including the Ministry of Works and Transport on road safety, the Ministry of Energy on guidelines relating to fuel trucks, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
