Kampala, Uganda: The Government of Uganda has further extended the suspension of the controversial Automated Express Penalty Scheme (EPS) and revised speed limit regulations, citing the need for more time to thoroughly review the contested traffic enforcement laws that triggered widespread backlash from motorists.
The Ministry of Works and Transport confirmed the latest extension on Sunday, July 13, just a month after halting the implementation of the measures on June 12, 2025, following public outcry and intervention by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
“The Ministry wishes to update the general public and all road users that the review process of the Express Penalty System and the related speed regulation framework is still ongoing,” ministry spokesperson Susan Kataike said in a statement.
The suspended measures had been introduced under Statutory Instrument No. 56 of 2024, which revised the EPS penalties, and a separate regulation prescribing new speed limits.
Under the EPS, traffic violation fines had skyrocketed, with penalties for speeding reaching up to Shs600,000 and payment deadlines slashed from 28 days to just 72 hours. Failure to comply within the period attracted an additional 50 percent surcharge.
The measures sparked fierce backlash from motorists, particularly drivers and taxi operators, with some threatening strikes. President Museveni himself questioned the use of CCTV cameras, initially installed for national security, being repurposed to automatically fine motorists, a concern that intensified pressure on the Ministry to revisit the framework.
However, in a Sunday statement this publication had a copy of, Ms Kataike revealed that technical and legal committees under the ministry have been meeting with various stakeholders, identifying critical gaps in the speed limits, timelines for payment, and surcharges.
“They identified gaps in the area of speed limits, payment timelines, different fees, and surcharges,” she said, adding that comprehensive recommendations would soon be shared with the ministry’s leadership and later submitted to Cabinet for consideration.
Once Cabinet reviews and approves the changes, Kataike says, the Ministry will then launch a public sensitisation campaign before any reimplementation of the measures.
The Transport Ministry had already faced criticism after lowering urban speed limits from 50km/h to 30km/h, especially for vehicle categories deemed high-risk in road crashes. Though introduced as a road safety measure, this regulation was equally caught up in the broader wave of opposition to the traffic reforms.
There were also rising fears among motorists about potential wrongful penalties under the automated EPS system, particularly in cases of stolen or tampered number plates. Under current regulations, tampering with electronic vehicle monitoring devices attracts a Shs100,000 fine.
The Ministry assured the public that any final decision will be clearly communicated once the review is complete.
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