With the number of vehicles hitting the road, ever on the increase, a concern over the level of pollution that some of these smoke-billowing vehicles cause is a major concern. However, we have to face the fact that vehicles using the internal combustion engine as the main source of power are going to be around for a long time. Too many powerful countries and companies have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.

So where can we lay the blame for the ever increasing amount of pollution being emitted by these crazy horses? Should it be proportioned to the vehicle user, society, to multinational fuel corporations or to the governments?

Let's take the vehicle user first of all. If your vehicle is chuffing out inordinate amounts of smoke then it means there is something wrong with it. The cause should be fixed before the situation gets worse and you spend

Some countries force our hand into fixing the problem in a timely manner as the vehicle is subject to annual emissions tests. Here, amongst other places, often no such rules exist. Unfortunately, people seem to think more on the short term rather than then consider the long term implications of their actions.

How about the multinational fuel companies then? In my personal point of view they hold quite a lot of the responsibility because they are the manufacturer and dealer of these noxious substances. Why, for instance, is the fuel quality in the "western world" cleaner /better than that of what we find in Uganda?

I always thought that lead in petrol was a natural occurrence but no, the fuel companies add it to the fuel because it's the easiest and cheapest method of boosting

Petrol is not the only issue - the quality grade of diesel is also not as good. This leads to poor combustion under engine load (black smoke), increased amounts of sulphur in the exhaust because the sulphur level is of an horrendously high level, increased amounts of deposits left behind inside the engine because of poorer combustion which helps to breakdown the lubrication qualities of the engine oil; which leads us to having to spend more money on vehicle maintenance because of reduced service intervals. Let's hope that the fuel companies also take the step of ensuring that low Sulphur diesel is put on the same level of priority.

Finally, there are the governments. In the end they are the ones who lay down legislations, etc. I herald the decision of the African Union Countries to ensure a switch to solely unleaded petrol. But more needs to be done. It would be difficult, at the moment, for the