Police Resume ‘Kawunyemu’ Operations in Kampala Metropolitan Area

Police have revealed that it will carry out drink and drive trial operations commonly referred to as “Kawunyemu” starting Friday night across Kampala Metropolitan Area. 

“Tonight, we are going to carry out a trial operation on drink drive within Kampala Metropolitan Police area,” the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said on X (formerly Twitter).

He added: “Do not fall in our trap. Do not drink and drive. Get someone to drive you or take a cab.”

Early this month, the Ministry of Health proposed the reinstatement of breathalysers. 

Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Director of General Health Services at the Health Ministry, said Uganda has registered an increase in the number of Road Traffic Accidents with 40% being fatal. 

He added that accidents due to drunk driving can affect all road users including children, pedestrians, and other drivers who are not drunk.

A breathalyser is a device for estimating blood alcohol content (BAC) or detecting viruses or diseases from a breath sample.

The move is intended to reduce Road Traffic Accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol, among others.

The use of breathalysers was halted in 2020 following the COVID-19 peak for fear of spreading Covid-19 in the process. The ministry says the risk is now negligible.