South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
A member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Tuesday accused the drivers of Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles of flouting traffic regulations.
The V8 is often used by powerful government officials, MPs, business tycoons, and military generals.
Arkangelo Kanayo, an SPLM-IO legislator representing Western Equatoria State, claimed that V8 drivers violated traffic regulations by overspeeding.
“So, this V8, it moves anyhow. And if it hits any car on the road or motorcycle, the driver or the owner of the V8 will come down, charge that person, and beat that person,” Kanayo said during a parliamentary session in Juba on Tuesday.
He accused V8 drivers of disrespecting other drivers of trucks, water tankers, and boda-boda riders.
He claimed that traffic police allow V8 drivers to move freely without restriction, while other vehicles are frequently stopped and harassed.
“The traffic on the road—they are not stopping the car from the V8. So, my question is, we made a law. Is the V8 above the law, and is it owned, or what is happening?” he questioned.
He said that the laws should not only be enforced on the poor and weak.
“So now you see, what I’ve seen is, like the country, like the law in this country, it has been meant just for the poor people and then the wicked people,” he said.
“The strong men and strong women of this country—the law is not meant for them. Because you can see on the road people who are suffering from traffic at the border, people walking in that direction.”
He alleged that V8 vehicles are allowed to move freely whether with or without number plates.
He explained that when a V8 driver hits another car, instead of apologising, the driver calls for a military pickup truck with soldiers for reinforcement.
He demanded that the assembly summon the Inspector General of Police to explain why the V8 is not being accounted for.
“What I want this house to do is to call the IGP to come here and explain what has happened with the law that the V8 is not being accounted for,” he said.
Dr. Jemma Nunu Kumba, TNLA Speaker, asked V8 drivers to respect traffic laws.
“Those of you who are driving V8s, including the Speaker, why are you not respecting the law? Okay, thank you, Honorable Arkangelo, for the information. The traffic and the law enforcement agencies—there is no one above the law,” she said.
“Most of the people, not only the politicians who are driving V8s, are also business people; there are individuals who have money to buy V8s. So let us respect the law. Traffic should be fair for everyone.”
