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Written by ORTON KIISHWEKO and ROSE ATHUMANI in Dodoma
SINCE 2007, when motorcycles and
tricycles were allowed to operate as taxis in the country, more than
30,000 accidents involving them have been recorded.
The accidents resulted in more than
5,000 deaths, of both passengers and drivers and injured more than
39,000 people including crippling them.
This was noted by the Deputy Minister
for Home Affairs, Mr Pereira Silima, in Parliament, when responding to
Mji Mkongwe MP, Mr Muhamad Ibrahim Sanya.
Mr Sanya wanted to know how many
accidents have taken place since motorcycles, famously known as
Bodabodas, started operating as taxis and how many people have lost
their lives. He also wanted to know the government’s position over the
issues.
Deputy Minister Silima said that
although bodaboda and tricycle taxis have helped to ease transport woes
in Dar es Salaam, the major challenge is increased road accidents
leading to loss of innocent lives and rendering others crippled for
life.
Mr Silima noted that since 2007 up to
2014, there have been 32,404 accidents, out of which 5,100 drivers and
passengers lost their lives and 39,534, were left with injuries
including being crippled for life.
“The road accidents involving bodabodas
and rickshaw taxis have left many people crippled while others are dead
in many parts of the country,” he explained.
He said that the outcome of road
accidents, which include loss of lives, and injuries is a big loss to
the government, society and the nation’s economy in general.
The Deputy Minister assured the
Parliament that the government is taking steps, including arraigning
culprits, who refuse to adhere to traffic laws in the country.
“The government is also continuing with
educating bodaboda and rickshaw riders on road regulations and laws,
since many of them, do not go to formal driving schools, but do so in
their communities.
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