30km/hr speed limit Traffic Regulation & electronic number plates in the offing
By The Public Lens
The Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) in collaboration with Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA) and Road Safety Advocacy Coalition Uganda (ROSACU) are working hand in hand to reduce road accidents in Uganda by advocating and enforcing speed limits.
Bageya Waiswa, Permanent Secretary MoWT, during a validation meeting for the new traffic regulations said a 30km/hr speed limit is important to reduce traffic crashes killing thousands of Ugandans every year.
“It should be remembered that 4,806 people died on Ugandan roads in 2023 translating to 13 deaths per day. Road safety experts and advocates are advocating for a 30km/hr in all school zones, urban and built areas,” he said.
The meeting was intended to pick views of road safety stakeholders on the new traffic regulations regarding the establishment of a 30km/hr speed limit and installation of electronic motor vehicle number plates.
Waiswa informed the participants that government has so far met 30 percent of the required 209 billion shillings to compensate Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) company which was contracted to install vehicle inspection centres along different roads in various parts of the country.
This company however the contract after various frustrations from government arms mostly the Parliament but it demanded compensation for the equipment it had already erected.
“We are optimistic that when the full amount is paid, government will own the vehicle inspection centers and start to enforce mandatory inspection of vehicles. This shall reduce incidents of vehicles in dangerous mechanical condition like the one that killed a young lawyer on Entebbe road,” Waiswa said.
Lawyer Okiot Raphael was killed on Wednesday morning when a truck loaded with concrete hit a pavement and collapsed on the vehicle he was driving. Okiot’s vehicle was flattened and his body was removed using powered saws.
Many people who have watched the CCTV video have since concluded that the vehicle was in a dangerous mechanical condition a reason it failed to brake even though it was not on a high speed.
Winston Katushabe, MoWT’s Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety, said the new traffic regulations will also aid the installation of electronic number plates.
Katushabe applauded the road safety activists, construction engineers, bus owners, drivers, riders and technical people from various ministries and government agencies contributing to the establishment of traffic regulations.
