It was one of those rainy days in the late 1970s when I walked into the offices of the then National Police Headquarters, located in the foreboding Ministry of Home Affairs building along Ohio Street in Dar es Salaam.
I had been assigned by my editor, the late Abdallah Ngororo of the Daily–cum–Sunday News, to report to the office of the Inspector General of Police. There were no further details given.
At the time, I was a young journalist at the newspaper, whose offices on Maktaba Street were not far from Police Headquarters.
Braving the rain, I rode my brand-new Yamaha Enduro 125cc motorcycle—acquired through a loan from my employer—to the assignment.
As I stepped into the Police Headquarters, I was filled with dread about the nature of the meeting. My anxiety only deepened when I was informed that I was to report to the office of the Commander of the National Road Traffic Police.
Indeed, in my many youthful escapades on the city’s streets, I had violated several road traffic regulations – and to make matters worse, I still did not possess a valid driving licence. Was that why I had been summoned by the Commander himself? I wondered.
With cold sweat running down my spine, I timidly knocked on the Commander’s door. There, surrounded by three senior police officers and three civilians, was the Commander himself—Mr De Vas—with his well-groomed, signature moustache and a sharply pressed police khaki uniform.
“Welcome, young man,” he boomed across the conference table. “I welcome you to the National Road Safety Committee. You are now going to be a member of the Committee and its Honorary Secretary as well,” he added.
To say I was stunned would be an understatement – but inwardly I was relieved and, ultimately, elated to join such a prestigious group with national responsibilities.
From that day forward – and for the next four years – my CV gained substantial weight. To begin with, I quickly obtained my driving licence. But more importantly, I learnt some crucial, life-saving lessons regarding road traffic regulations.
For instance, statistics presented to the Committee from across the country showed that over 70 per cent of individuals who died or suffered serious injuries in car accidents had not fastened their seat belts. Likewise, more than 75 per cent of those who died or were seriously injured in motorcycle accidents had not been wearing helmets.
From that point onwards, I became a strict adherent of the ‘seat belts and helmets’ rule – a habit I maintain to this day.
It was therefore a relief to see, some years ago, that the police had begun tightening laws on the mandatory use of seat belts and helmets for drivers and passengers alike.
Even more encouraging was the recent initiative I witnessed, where young men and women, in collaboration with the Road Traffic Police, were organising awareness-raising workshops across various regions of the country. These sessions focused on educating young motorists about road safety and traffic rules.
I believe such efforts – alongside regular educational campaigns run by the police – will significantly contribute to reducing road fatalities in Tanzania.
The author is a veteran journalist and communication expert/consultant. mpumilwa@gmail.com
