Officials led by EU Ambassador to Uganda Jan Sadek (in a light blue short) cycle to Kololo S.S in Kampala on Friday
The European Union (EU) ambassador to Uganda, Jan Sadek, has appealed to Ugandans to cycle as a way of reducing carbon emissions.
Sadek was part of the Kampala Cycling Day, which is part of the EU’s Green Diplomacy Week.
“And here we are, trying to show how bicycles are a good mode of transportation. You know, bicycles will reduce carbon emissions. Obviously, there’s no engine; your legs are the engine. They will also ease congestion in traffic, and it’s a very healthy alternative. You get stronger by bicycling,” Sadek said on Friday in Kampala. He added that “We want to show this by bicycling through town today with a great number of people from the EU member states and from KCCA. So, here we want to show what a good mode of transportation bicycling is.”
According to Sadek, the Kampala Cycling Day is part of the EU’s Green Diplomacy Week. It’s all about showing how we can protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions by our individual choices, said Sadek.
He said that the EU is working constantly with Uganda to try to improve the use of renewable energy in Uganda, as “we do in Europe and around the globe in many other countries.”
So, he said, “We have many projects ongoing here.”
“One big one is that we want to rehabilitate the Nalubale-Kira hydropower plant and provide financing for that so that Uganda can produce even more renewable energy. We have many, many projects. The Green Diplomacy Week is just one of our initiatives,” added Sadek.
Sadek appealed to Ugandans to adopt cycling as a mode of transportation.
“What’s the message? Well, I think each and every Ugandan, each and every person in Kampala, has an individual choice to make. You can choose to go by car or by bike. My message to all the citizens in Kampala is to try the bike as a mode of transportation,” said Sadek.
Sadek says there are many dangers in traffic, and that “much needs to happen before this can become a reality.”
“But we can also push the authorities to try to have more bicycle lanes and safer bicycling in Kampala, so that many more people can use this fantastic means of transportation instead of cars, which pollute and congest traffic and streets. So, please consider biking as a mode of transportation,” said Sadek.
