Let us Prioritise Safety

According to the Road Safety Performance Review Uganda 2018 compiled by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, it is reported that every year nearly 1.25 million people die and up to 50 million people are injured on the World’s roads. In Uganda alone it is reported that 10 people die per day being the highest number in the whole of East Africa.

Now these kinds of accidents do not only cost lives but also have a cost on the economy which is estimated to be approximately 4.4 trillion Uganda shillings spent annually translating into 5 % of Uganda’s GDP. Uganda alone has a road network of about 129,469 kilometers, the railway line is 1,250 kilometers, 250 bridges and we have 10 ferries.

Most of these accidents are caused by a number of factors that can be prevented and in most cases it referred to as human error. From poor road network, to drink driving, over loading, over speeding, driving on shoulders, reckless driving, over taking in sharp corners, not respecting road signs, not wearing helmets, not wearing seat belts are all human errors that have led to death of many lives.

One of the forgotten but very important cause of some of these accidents is the licensing. Uganda is a country that allows importation of used cars from car manufacturing countries. In some of these countries Uganda has arrangements for those vehicles to be inspected before being allowed to be shipped. However, this is not enough to curb the use of cars that are in poor mechanical conditions.

Not only cars, but all powered machines that are used for transport in the country should be properly inspected before being allowed to operate. But I think we have reached somewhere though the lack of political will frustrates everything.

The recent tragedy that happened when over 100 revelers travelling on a boat to Mutima Island which capsized killing over 32, 40 rescued and many more unaccounted for is very unfortunate but brings us back to the main topic of Safety. Before you jump onto that boda boda do you mind to wear a helmet? Before you board a taxi do you mind to critically know who the driver is, are the tyres worn out or not? Before you use water transport do you ever mind wearing a life jacket?

When the driver, rider, captain, sailor chauffeurs you recklessly do you ever mind to tell them to reduce on the speed? We have lost quite a number of lives because we seem not to care about our own safety. Some of the means we use for transport are not licensed but we carelessly ignore even when it comes to our attention. This is simply because we are always in a rush to reach our destinations but what is more important for us is to reach safely. Let us drop the old habits, wear a helmet before you ride, life jacket before you sail, seat belt before the car starts moving and let be responsible enough to respect each others’ lives.

In my opinion but not being judgmental, if all the people sailing on that boat to Mutima were wearing life jackets we would not have lost those many lives. It is so unfortunate that we cannot turn the clock back in time but I think every death that occurs due to human error should teach us a lesson to be cautious about our lives.

Nkugwa John Michael
jmnkugwa@gmail.com
Lawyer at Baruga Associated Advocates

Payment of tithe is our responsibility

PAYMENT OF TITHE IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY

I have taken off time first to read people's opinions a few days back about the Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga's proposal for government to help collect tithe. Secondly I have also chatted with several religious leaders and have come up with this writing in reply. Yes, it is true that payment of tithe is not mandatory in the secular world but backed with scripture it makes it mandatory for anyone who is religious to pay tithe. The role of the church is more of social to rehabilitate the sick, elderly name it. Provide services like education, treatment to the sick name it. It is also true that Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, proposed that the central government if possible should start deducting 10 percent tithe from monthly salaries of Catholic believers because they are not tithing as they should  have done therefore, slowing down the church works.

Many are getting this out of context to think that actually churches are more concerned about income flow to their baskets and pockets rather than the things that matter in this country. Should the Catholic Church stop running Rehabilitation homes like the Bakateyamba Home found in Nalukolongo? Should the church stop providing education through the catholic founded schools? Should the Church stop sending funds to catholic founded hospitals? Should the church stop doing corporate work through Centenary Bank, turn political and get on the streets? The tithe that comes from the catholic community has done a lot of activities that mere getting on the street can ever do. In fact if the well established religions/religious men were managing this economy it would be far better. Take a look at Vatican, in fact the Archbishop is just reminding us of how better this economy would have been if we were all paying tithe in our respective churches.

Collection of tithe through the Central government has been tried though in those countries it is actually church tax. In Denmark there is the Evangelical Lutheran Church which receives funding through a specific church tax. In Sweden and Finland 1% to 2% is deducted by government from Citizen’s monthly earnings and it is sent to the church. In Germany there is an Income tax that is deducted from Christians and is given to the church to fund its activities. In Italy where the Catholic faith has deep routes 0.8% tax is deducted and the tax payers express their preference to the church where they want that tax to be spent and mainly this money goes to the needy.

Furthermore in Spain it is law for tax payers to allocate a percentage of their income tax to the Catholic Church.

Now, in the Ugandan context where there is no such Church tax law and yet all Catholics know that the Church does not get funding from any other source save for the faithful. In my opinion it is accurate for the Archbishop to suggest that government collects tithe from our monthly earnings because Church is in a way constrained.

I am not a preacher but Leviticus 27:30-32, Numbers 18:21-26, Deuteronomy 14:22-23 and Chapter 26 verse 12, Nehemiah 10:37 and Chapter 13 verse 5, Amos 4:4, Malachi 3:8-10, Hebrews 7:5. All is scripture talking about tithe. Be responsible and pay tithe to your God.

Nkugwa John Michael
jmnkugwa@gmail.com
Lawyer/Associate at Baruga Associated Advocates