Hertta-Maria Amutenja
Road safety executives were absent from the 9th Annual Road Safety Conference for 2024, held in Ongwediva from 10 to 12 July.
This absence sparked concerns among attendees and road safety activists about the conference’s effectiveness and the implementation of critical safety measures.
The conference aimed to bring together various stakeholders in the road safety sector to discuss concerns and find solutions.
Road safety activist Felix Tjozongoro highlighted the conference’s tendency to avoid addressing real issues.
“My experience with this type of conference is that participants shy away from addressing the real issues as they don’t want to be seen as hurting the feelings of others. Straight talk is avoided at all costs,” said Tjozongoro.
The introduction of the International Road Assessment Programme (IRAP) and the passing of the Vehicle Mass Act, which decriminalises overloading offences, were two of the conference’s outcomes.
Tjozongoro noted the absence of the chief executive officers of the Roads Authority, Conrad Lutombi, the Road Fund Administration, Ali Ipinge, the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, the executive director of the Ministry of Health, Ben Nangombe, and his deputy from the conference.
He noted that Jonas Sheelongo, deputy executive director of the Ministry of Transport, attended the conference.
The Commissioner of the Namibian Police Traffic Directorate was also in attendance, while City Police Chief Leevi Iileka was absent, leaving only junior staff.
According to Tjozongoro, the conference failed to address real issues because participants did not want to create “enemies” by attacking non-performing state institutions.
“If you dare raise shortcomings, for example, the Department of Transport failing to regulate driving schools and causing the poor drivers we have resulting in high accident rates or the long queues as NaTIS or Nampol that focus on law enforcement in town while City Police is doing the same, then you will be branded as an enemy of the state.
“Thus, to remain in the good books, no one attacks other non-performing institutions, and the conference would be deemed a success because we didn’t spill blood in the conference but we spill blood on the roads with accidents,” he said.
Speaking at the conference, the deputy prime minister and minister of works and transport, John Mutorwa, emphasised the need for senior executives’ involvement in such conferences.
“There is a need for all executing agencies to show more ownership of the assigned roles and responsibilities,” Mutorwa stated.
Ministry of Health Executive Director Ben Nangombe said, “I was not invited to the conference. I was not even aware of it.”
Similarly, Roads Authority Chief Executive Officer Conrad Lutombi said he was not invited and was unaware of the conference.
Entering 2024, Namibia experienced severe road accidents, including one in January that killed eight people at Okahandja village and another in June between Otavi and Otjiwarongo, also claiming eight lives. A separate accident between Windhoek and Rehoboth claimed the lives of an entire family of four.
The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund reports that from January to July, 1 525 road accidents resulted in 214 fatalities and 2 793 injuries.
