Minister of State for Finance (General Duties), Henry Musasizi
Parliament has passed into law the Traffic and Road Safety Amendment Bill 2023, approving the proposal to increase fine for motorists driving beyond the prescribed speed limit, from Shs200,000 to Shs2M.
It should be recalled that in April 2023, Minister of State for Finance (General Duties), Henry Musasizi tabled a series of tax bills, among which included the Traffic and Road Safety Bill 2023 in which he proposed to impose a fine of Shs2M or a jail sentence of 3years, for motorists who drive beyond the mandate speed limit, arguing that the proposal is intended to restore sanity on roads and reduce on road carnage on Uganda’s roads.
Minister Musasizi while appearing before Parliament’s Finance Committee defended the proposal arguing that the current system requires prosecution in courts of law, a process he described as lengthy, yet this can be dealt directly with in the Traffic and Road and Express Penalty System.
The Minister proposed that a person who fails to comply with the speed limits on conviction is fined 100 currency points or imprisonment of 3years or both. The measure will contribute to the reduction of road accidents and associated deaths and costs to the country.
One currency points is equivalent to Shs20, 000 thus bringing find to Shs2M.
While presenting the report before Parliament, during the plenary sitting, Keefa Kiwanuka, Chairperson Finance Committee recommended to Parliament to approve Government’s position without any amendments.
Jonathan Odur (Erute South) asked the Attorney General, Kiwanuka Kiryowa to clarify on which fines will be implemented arguing, “Under the Traffic and Road Safety Act, violation attracts a fine of Shs200,000, here they are now proposing a fine of Shs20M, if you give two alternatives under different laws, then you will not achieve the intended purpose.”
The Attorney General in response said, “The one for the Express Penalty Scheme is where you concede and you are given a penalty there and then. This one is where you oppose, go for trial and you are found guilty through the process of trial, the penalty is higher.”
According to Police, there were 20,394 crashes reported out of which 3,901were fatal, 10,776 were serious and 5,717 were minor.
The report further highlighted that the number of fatal crashes increased by 16.9% from 3,757in 2021 to 3,901 in 2022, while the same increment was recorded in the number of serious crashes that increased from 9,070 in 2021 to 10,776 in 2022. The number of minor crashes increased from 4,616in 2021 to 5,717in 2022.
However, Police recorded 6130 cases for driving in excess of prescribed speed out of the 336,722 traffic offences and the Police revealed that in 2022, there were 456,993 tickets issued valued at Shs38.585Bn.
