The road is the major mesh for Fiika Salaama, an operation mounted by Traffic Police, Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA and Ministry of Works and Transport to address road carnage.
There are two major police checks on the highway which had claimed over 100 lives within a space of six months. At the checks points, located at Kaduggala and Katonga, vehicles are stopped, inspected and drivers asked to present driving permits before they proceed with the journey.
Since its inception two months ago, the operation has netted over 1000 drivers, for lack of valid driving permits, dangerous loading, excess loading, lack of third part insurance, driving vehicles in dangerous mechanical conditions and reckless driving.
Unlike the past when express penalties would be given to traffic offenders, those arrested through operation Fiika Salaama are detained and prosecuted. Those convicted are fined by the court and can only be released after fulfilling the condition.
Hassan Ssekalema, the Officer in Charge of Traffic at Masaka Central Police says the operation is a huge success adding that no fatal accident has been recorded since August.
A UPDF officer, who is part of the operation, says that a number of those arrested are government officials. He says on a daily basis, they arrest at least five government drivers.
Daniel Kaweesa, a long distance truck driver arrested for driving without hind number plates welcomes the initiative but hastens to add that most of the offenses for which people are arrested are minor.
Another driver identified only as Pastor Mugenyi was arrested carrying seven people in a five-seater Ipsum. He says they were traveling to Tanzania for burial of their relative when they were arrested for excess loading and driving a car with dangerous tyres.
He was forced to abandon some of the occupants and to buy two new tyres before proceeding.
At the filing of this report, at least 25 drivers arrested last night were in the process of paying fines at Masaka Central Police Station before being released.