Police Remove All Roadblocks on All Major Roads and Highways
Police has announced that it has removed all roadblocks on major roads and highways to enable free movement of goods.
Police is implementing orders of President Museveni who last week directed the removal of all roadblocks on the highways with immediate effect.
The President gave the directive to Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja on Wednesday, who was tasked to ensure that concerned agencies implement the orders.
President Museveni told Nabbanja that the roadblocks jeopardise the free movement of goods and services across the East African Community member States.
The Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga said on Monday that all barriers on major roads have been removed in fulfilment of the presidential directive.
“As you are all aware, all road barriers and roadblocks along highways were removed with immediate effect on the October 6, 2022, following the strategic guidance of the Chief Executive. The removal of all roadblocks will help benefit traders, business dealers and investors who have been complaining about delays, caused by road barriers and road blocks while transporting goods within the country and in transit. We wish to inform the public and all stakeholders in the road sector that we have fully implemented the zero barrier/zero road block directive, on all major roads and highways, to effectively facilitate this free movement of goods and services,” Enanga said.
He warned that any individual or groups of police officers, who will be found in breach of the directive, will suffer consequences, of disobedience of lawful orders.
Enanga called upon the public, especially transporters, to remain vigilant and report any officers, who continue to mount road blocks with impunity to the National Operations Command Centre at Naguru Police Headquarters, on telephone contacts 0800199699, 0707600773 and 0776999136.
President Museveni has been vocal against roadblocks, saying they do not help in crime detection, but provide a fertile ground for corruption and delay of movement of goods.
The President also banned them in 2014. They were re-established in 2016 in a traffic operation dubbed Fika Salama, which was intended to fight errant motorists.
President Museveni again ordered their removal over corruption.
Roadblocks were again re-established in 2020 during the enforcement of Covid-19 regulations and many had not been removed.