Govt moves to cut accidents, identify corrupt traffic police
Deputy minister for Home Affairs Hamad Yusuf Masauni arrives at Police Officers Mess Hall in Dar es Salaam to launch a six-month strategy to reduce road accidents in the country on Saturday. He is flanked by deputy Inspector General of Police Abdurahman Kaniki (left) and Traffic Police Commander Mohammed Mpinga (right).
PHOTO | Salim Shao
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Corrupt traffic officers have been advised to mend their ways or suffer the consequence of an impending crackdown on those who have a tendency to take demand and take bribe.
Dar es Salaam. The government will conduct a crackdown on corrupt traffic police officers in its bid to end road carnage, the deputy minister for Home Affairs, Mr Hamad Yusuph Masauni has said.
Speaking during a meeting of traffic officers from the Dar es Salaam Special Zone on Saturday to discuss the implementation of a six-month strategy to reduce road accidents by 10 per cent, Mr Masauni said traffic officers’ daily conduct will be monitored to identify corrupt among them.
He said, generally, traffic officers were doing a commendable job in curbing accidents, but a few among them were spoiling the good image through by demanding and taking bribes.
He warned that such officers had no place in the fifth phase government.
“We will apply advanced techniques to trap you. Sometimes, you will be trapped when attempting to receive bribes from drivers who will be planted specifically for this purpose,” he said.
Revealing the implementation of the strategy, Mr Masauni, who doubles as chairman of National Roads Safety Council (NRSC), reiterated the government’s commitment to put reckless and drunken drivers behind bars as they await determination of their cases.
According to Mr Masauni, police officers dressed in civilian clothes will be deployed during the implementation of the strategy to identify and arrest stubborn drivers, who have greatly contributed to escalated road accidents.
“No stone will be left unturned during the crackdown on irresponsible drivers for the fifth government has pledged to act strongly against all those who violate the law,” he said.
He pledged motivational benefits to traffic officers confirmed to have exceptionally contributed to making the strategy a success through promotion and pay rise. He also pledged immediate solution other technical and administrative challenges facing them.
For his part, NRSC vice chairman, who is also Works, Transport and Communications deputy minister Edwin Ngonyani, ordered the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) to expidite that system to track vehicles throughout the country.
