President Museveni has spoken against the hefty penalties slapped on motorists under the controversial Express Penalty System (EPS).
The hefty fines imposed under the cameras installed by a Russian firm – Joint Stock Company Global Security that was contracted by security implement Uganda’s controversial digital number plate project have led to a public uproar.
Taxi operators had threatened a nation-wide protests as the penalties stung deep into their pockets. The Works and Transport Ministry was on Wednesday forced to suspend the Express Penalty System (EPS) to provide room for consultation with key stake holders.
The system has hitherto been opposed to by human rights activists who noted that while the digital number plate system was aimed at facilitating the ability of authorities to improve services, it would also have the detrimental impact of expanding the country’s surveillance capabilities.
Addressing Parliament at Kololo ceremonial grounds after delivering his budget during budget, President said the introduction of digital number plates was not about money and fines. “It is about security, not fine rubbish” said Museveni.
“I think the confusion about fines could be because we didn’t have money, and we told these people to make the number plates and recover the money from those who make mistakes but the issue is that the number plates is digitized,” said Museveni.
Uganda began issuing digital registration plates for private and public motor vehicles on Monday, 6th January 2025, marking the third phase of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS)project.
Vehicle owners must pay 713,000 Shillings for new registrations, 150,000 Shillings to switch old plates, and 50,000 Shillings for motorcycles.
Ministry of Works and Transport reviewed and updated the Traffic and Road Safety (Speed Limits) Regulations, 2004 to enable the operationalization of the act passed by parliament.
They were according to Katumba Wamala aimed at improving driver behavior among road users and to develop a safety culture to protect the most vulnerable road users especially the pedestrians and passengers that do not control the vehicle.
They were gazetted in February. They set a reduction in speed limits in redefined “urban centers” and increased in the maximum penalties from UGX200, 000 to UGX600, 000 for any person who exceeds the speed limit.
President Museveni did not comment further about the fact that the schemes had been suspended by Works and transport Minister, General Katumba Wamala. Some public officials including the Internal Affairs Minister, Kahinda Otafire have spoken against the new plates.
The automated Express penalty system was expected to kick start operations on 23rd April 2025.
The EPSAuto will be able to detect violations like over-speeding and running the red-lights, capture and process the vehicle or motorbike registration number plate plus the location, time and avail photo or video, generate an E-fine which is logged into the ITMS database against the violating vehicle or motorbike and verified by an in-charge police officer.
The registered vehicle owner is hence notified by sms or email the type of offence, date committed, amount of fine, deadline for payment and reference number with the payment channels.
On Wednesday, a concerned citizen, Kagingo Muhammad Brutus petitioned the High court seeking an interim injunction to halt rollout of digital number plates and the collection of automated express traffic penalties. He said the process was fraudulent, shrouded in illegality, and conflict of interest in the process.
Kagingo alleges that Joint Stock Company Global Security is fraudulent and non-existent in law. He claimed that Joint Stock Company Global Security Company was struck off the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) register for failure to file returns for over five years.
Kagingo averred that Global Security was never gazetted, as legally required, before it began collecting traffic-related fees.