Transport ministry overhauls traffic penalty system to address public outcry -

‎The Ministry of Works and Transport is overhauling the national automated traffic penalty system to address public outcry over unfair fines and system errors while prioritizing speed control in high-risk areas.

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‎The Express Penalty Scheme, which uses cameras to penalize speeding and red-light violations, was previously suspended following motorist complaints regarding multiple fines for single offenses and unclear legal provisions. Winstone Katushabe, commissioner for road safety at the ministry, said Wednesday that lessons from the suspension are shaping the revised strategy.

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‎The government has been trying to put in place interventions to reduce road crashes and one of the biggest challenges of these road crashes is speed, Katushabe said during a stakeholder meeting in Kampala.

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‎Under the overhauled approach, authorities will enforce a 30 kph speed limit specifically in designated zones such as schools, hospitals, markets and churches. Robert Kisakye, a senior licensing officer at the ministry, noted that earlier proposals had mistakenly extended the limit across entire roads, a move that has been corrected to focus only on areas with vulnerable road users.

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‎To address specific grievances that led to the system’s suspension, the government is revising the timeline for paying fines and clarifying who is responsible when a vehicle is borrowed or hired.

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‎You are issued a ticket, and you are supposed to pay within 28 days. In 2020, this law was amended to reflect 72 hours, and that is one of the areas that had contention among the public, Katushabe said.

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‎Technical improvements are also being made to prevent duplicate fines and ensure better coordination between the ministry and police. The system is currently being tested using government vehicles, with a phased rollout expected to begin in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.

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‎To ensure transparency and avoid catching motorists unaware, the government plans to install signs warning drivers of upcoming cameras. If a camera is half a kilometer ahead, a signpost will notify motorists, Katushabe added.

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‎The intervention arrives as Uganda faces a growing road safety crisis. More than 25,000 road crashes were recorded in 2024, resulting in an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 deaths annually. Speeding and reckless driving remain the leading causes of these accidents.

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‎The ministry plans to continue consultations in Jinja, Gulu and Mbarara before submitting a final report to the Cabinet.