Drunk Sino Truck Driver Arrested in Mpigi After Fleeing Traffic Police Checkpoint

What the report says

Police in Mpigi have detained a Sino truck driver, identified by Nile Post as Martin Oponya, after an alleged failure to stop at a Traffic Police checkpoint and subsequent checks that found him without a valid driving licence and under the influence of alcohol. According to the report, officers intercepted the truck, registration number UA 367AM, at Maya Checkpoint around 8pm on Sunday after he had reportedly ignored an earlier order to stop.

Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura said Oponya is being held at Maya Police Station pending court proceedings. The report also says the truck owner has been charged with allowing someone without a valid licence to operate the vehicle. Police described the case as part of wider enforcement against conduct that could endanger other road users.

The arrest comes during a broader crackdown on heavy goods vehicles and commercial transport operators, with authorities increasing checks on driver qualifications, vehicle condition and other road-safety requirements. In general terms, this fits into Uganda’s recent push to tighten oversight of heavy trucks, including Sino trucks, following public concern over road safety and fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles. The article also notes that the Ministry of Works and Transport has been urging owners to comply with inspection and safety rules.