Uganda has stepped up efforts to reform its traffic enforcement system through a renewed partnership between the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the Uganda Police Force (UPF), focusing on closing the gaps in the Express Penalty System (EPS).
Last Friday, URA Assistant Commissioner Rose Wangwe of the Medium Tax Office met with Assistant Inspector General of Police Lawrence Nuwabiine, the Director of Traffic and Road Safety, at the UPF Command Centre in Nateete.
The purpose of the meeting was to harmonize EPS arrears and streamline the enforcement of road safety rules under a more efficient, technology-driven framework.
The Express Penalty System, first introduced in 2004 under the Traffic and Road Safety Act, was designed to issue on-the-spot fines for minor infractions such as speeding and illegal parking, with penalties ranging between UGX 20,000 and UGX 200,000.
These penalties serve as a significant source of non-tax revenue (NTR) for the government.
However, for years, manual processing using Police Book 26 resulted in serious inefficiencies.
These included duplicated serial numbers, forgery, and delayed reporting.
According to a 2021 report, unpaid EPS fines between 2007 and 2016 amounted to UGX 48 billion, revealing the scale of the problem.
In response, the government launched the EPS Auto system in June 2025, as a key component of the Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS).
The new system employs advanced technologies including CCTV surveillance, traffic sensors, and digital number plates to detect traffic violations in real-time.
“This new system eliminates duplication, forgery, and delays,” said Wangwe.
She emphasized the seamless integration of EPS Auto with the URA portal and the UPF Mobi App, allowing motorists to instantly pay fines using mobile money or bank applications.
Despite these advancements, Wangwe acknowledged the continued challenge of clearing outstanding arrears from the earlier manual system.
Nuwabiine echoed this concern, attributing the backlog to previous data errors and procedural lapses.
He proposed strategic engagement with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to settle these long-standing dues.
Wangwe stressed the importance of increasing public awareness around the revamped EPS.
“Encouraging EPS compliance will clear arrears and enhance NTR, vital for government operations,” she noted.
To facilitate this, motorists can now check and pay their traffic fines by texting “EPS \[space] NUMBERPLATE” to 8888 or by using the UPF Mobi App—although the latter is currently limited to Android devices.
The collaboration also aligns with broader government initiatives to improve inter-agency coordination.
These include the March 2024 symposium where URA, UPF, and other bodies convened to address illicit financial flows.
The 2023 UPF Crime Report highlighted 12,924 economic crime cases, underscoring the need for transparent and accountable systems.
Despite some controversy surrounding the foreign contractor, M/S Joint Stock Company Global Security, which helped implement EPS Auto, the initiative has gained praise from road safety advocates for reducing opportunities for bribery.
Wangwe reinforced that URA’s role in the partnership extends beyond its traditional tax mandate.
“URA’s commitment extends beyond taxes,” she affirmed. “We’re building efficient government processes.”
As EPS campaigns expand and government agencies move to resolve their dues, Uganda is steadily progressing toward a transparent and accountable system that prioritizes safety, revenue integrity, and public trust.
