Assessing the effects of bribery on the road safety campaigns in Uganda’s central region.

Abstract

This study is “assessing the Effects of Bribery on the Road Safety Campaign in Uganda’s Central region. “it was conducted in the central region but particularly along Kampala-Masaka highway and It was inspired by the phenomenon that despite the existence of traffic laws and policies to be implemented by traffic police along Masaka highway has become extremely unprofessional and reduced just to money collecting through impounding vehicles and filling all compounds of police stations awaiting owners to pay them bribes. The study used two approaches of qualitative and quantitative research methods, which were used to generate data. The quantitative method focused on testing the effects of bribery among the traffic police on road safety campaigns while the qualitative approach was used to analyze non-numerical statements of respondents, mainly their views, perceptions and attitudes towards bribery among traffic officers and road safety campaigns in central region. The research used both primary and secondary data sources, where the primary data was collected using a questionnaire, and an interview guide. Secondary data was also accessed through reading text books, reports and journals about the effects of bribery among traffic officers on road safety campaigns. According to the first objective, the findings, revealed that Requesting for money /cash advances from reckless drivers, failing to arrest or detain a road traffic offender, turning a blind eye to a healthy safety or mechanical issue, and Granting favors to individual vehicles that are taking illegal goods affirmed that bribery among traffic officers has a direct relationship with road safety campaigns. Looking at the second objective, it was also established in the findings that, having strong traffic laws that are not effectively implemented and lastly road users using bribery as an escape route from the law also affirmed that bribery among traffic officers has a direct relationship with road safety campaigns. Lastly, about the third objective of suggesting solutions to reduce bribery among the traffic police along Masaka high way, it was identified that through effective use of information technology, ICT use to reduce bribery, Public Sensitization, Increase of police pay, and lastly Regular reshuffle of traffic police officers can help reduce bribery tendencies along the highway. The study recommends that for bribery tendencies to be reduced or stopped among traffic police along Masaka highway, police officers should be constantly relocated to new places on the road, the salary of officers should be increased and lastly strict laws and policies on bribery among traffic officers should be effectively implemented