Court clears Soroti city to collect street parking fees

The High Court’s Civil Division has dismissed a petition challenging the collection of street parking fees by Fueless Technologies Uganda Limited and Soroti City Council over claims that the charges were illegal and infringed on motorists’ rights.

On October 15, 2026, Justice Boniface Wamala dismissed an application filed by Simon Peter Oriokot, ruling that it lacked merit and that Fueless Technologies Uganda Limited had the legal authority to levy and enforce the payment of street parking fees.

“It has not been proved by the applicant on a balance of probabilities that   Feeless Technologies Uganda Limited action of clamping the applicant’s motor vehicles over default payment of parking fees infringed on the applicant’s right to property. The Applicant has not proved any tortious wrong against the respondents,” Justice Wamala said.
  

Applicants’ claim

Oriokot had petitioned the court, accusing Fueless Technologies Uganda Limited and Soroti City Council   of violating his constitutional right to property by collecting parking fees from motorists on the streets of Soroti.

In the application, filed under the Constitution and the Human Rights (Enforcement) Act, 2019, the applicant argues that the collection of parking fees is illegal and infringes on his rights and those of other motorists.

He had sought a court declaration that the collection of the fees is unconstitutional, an order compelling the respondents to account for all the money collected, and a refund to motorists who have paid the charges.

Oriokot had also sough general and punitive damages for the inconvenience caused, as well as costs of the application.

The applicant, Oriokot, states that on July 12, 2024, his vehicle, registration number UAS 135H, was clamped by the first respondent while parked outside Teso Health Centre, where he had taken his five-month-old daughter for treatment.

He was issued a street parking notice indicating that he owed sh210,000 in unpaid parking fees. His vehicle remained clamped for the entire day, forcing him to hire a taxi to travel.

According to Oriokot, his lawyers advised him that the respondents had been illegally collecting street parking fees in Soroti City without an enabling law.

He argued that the charges violated his constitutional right to property and those of other motorists, and has asked the court to grant the reliefs sought in his application.

Court’s Decision

The court observed that Section 83(1) of the Local Governments Act empowers local governments to levy, charge and collect various fees and taxes, including parking fees.

It noted that Regulation 23(g) of the Local Government Revenue Regulations lists parking fees among the sources of revenue for local governments, alongside government grants.

The court further stated that neither the Act nor the Regulations requires local governments to first enact an ordinance, by-law or other legal instrument before levying or collecting parking fees.

The judge noted that local governments derive the power to impose and collect parking fees directly from the existing law. END