By Odwori Brian,
KAMPALA
The Uganda People’s Congress has asked the government to subsidize on the taxes levied on life jackets that are imported into the country.
During the media engagement on Wednesday ,the party’s spokesperson Arach Oyat Sharon said that good quality life jackets are too expensive to be purchased by a common man.
She suggested that the Government puts a taxi holiday on life jackets such that they become affordable to people who use water transport.
This has come at a point when the country is mourning the death of its citizens who drowned in lake Victoria last week. At least 20 have been confirmed dead after a boat with 34 occupants on board sailing from Kalangala to Kasenyi landing site in wakiso District capsized in lake Victoria.
Arach says that water transport in Uganda is the transport system is given less attention compared to other sectors of transport such as road, air, railway yet it is equally important. She urged the government to ensure safety of water transport users against accidents.
“A proof on this was sighted last week when the marine police rescue team boat capsized and luckily all the occupants survived therefore, the responsible authorities should take action because we are all potential victims”, Sharon said
Water transport accidents are on rampage on Ugandan lakes. In 2020, at least 26 people died on lake Albert when a canoe they were aboard capsized on the boarder of Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Two years earlier, dozens lost lives on lake Victoria when another boat that was carrying over 100 from Baba landing site to Mukono capsized.
