Inside New Express penalty scheme

KAMPALA - There will be no one to call, no one to bribe and no shortcuts for motorists who violate traffic rules as the Government rolls out the Express Penalty Scheme (EPS) through the Integrated Transport Monitoring System (ITMS). 

This is the warning from the transport ministry ahead of the enforcement of tough measures under the scheme. 

The state minister for transport, Fred Byamukama, confirmed on April 6, 2025, that the enforcement of the EPS would start next month. 

“We have fully operationalised the ITMS. If you violate traffic rules, your connections will no longer help you. You must follow the law or pay the price,” Byamukama said. 
The minister said that ITMS is aimed at enhancing road safety, traffic management and security through technology. 

It involves the use of AI-powered CCTV, digital number plates, and other advanced systems to identify violations, optimise traffic flow and support national security initiatives. 

Under the new scheme, failure to comply with the prescribed speed limit attracts a penalty of sh200,000 for excess speed within 1-30km and sh600,000 for over 30km; careless or inconsiderate use of motor vehicle (sh100,000), driving with blood alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit (sh200,000), among others. 

A motorist with a pending fine will not be allowed to renew their driving licence, while foreigners will not be allowed to leave the country. 

ITMS is a flagship initiative between the Government and a Russian company, the Joint Stock Company Global Security (JSGC). 

Byamukama explained that the roll-out comes after the gazetting of the Traffic and Road Safety (Express Penalty Scheme for Road Traffic Offenders) Regulations, providing for the operationalisation of the EPS auto-system. 

JSGC spokesperson Allan Kwitonda confirmed the EPS-auto system had already been introduced. 

“The EPS-auto system has already been introduced, but ITMS is in process of automating it. Training for the Police, as well as bodaboda and taxi drivers, is taking place this and next week for sensitisation purposes,” Kwitonda said. 

He revealed that up to now, only two violations — which are speeding and driving through red lights — were being introduced to test the system. “Other violations will be monitored as well, but not charged yet,” he added. 

The Ministry of Works and Transport’s communications officer, Allan Ssempebwa, said the operation will cut across the board. 

“It’s not only those with digital number plates. The camera system is able to detect both digital and non-digital plates. The process is centralised at the Police headquarters, and they are able to track any movement and violations as long as they can be tracked with our camera system,” he said. 

Ssempebwa said the EPS is linked to the Uganda Driver Licensing System (UDLS) established under the Traffic and Road Safety (Driving Licensing) Regulations, 2021 and the immigration system in case of a driver holding a foreign driving licence. 

“The chief licensing officer shall not renew or grant an extension of a driving licence if an applicant has not paid a fixed penalty issued under these regulations. A foreign driver shall not be allowed to leave Uganda via any of the country’s exit ports if he or she has not paid a fixed penalty issued under these regulations,” he added.

Some of the traffic offences

How to know you have violated traffic rules 

Ssempebwa said most of the motorists actually know when they are breaking the law. 

“If you went to the driving school, you actually know that at the red light, you should stop. Should you drive on before it turns green, that’s a penalty, and it will be sent to you on your phone.” Ssempebwa said under The Traffic and Road Safety (Express Penalty Scheme for Road Traffic Offenders) Regulations, 2024, the penalty is supposed to be paid immediately. 

Regulation 6 of the regulations provides that payment of a fixed penalty shall be made at the nearest revenue collection bank designated by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) on presentation of a bank payment advice or any other payment channel issued on behalf of the URA by a Police officer or traffic warden. 

Under regulation 7, a person who fails to pay the prescribed fixed penalty within the stipulated 72 hours shall be liable to pay a surcharge of 50% of the prescribed penalty for the offence committed. 

He also revealed that the EPS-auto system will limit enforcement from the constant road stops and fears of selective enforcement, and bribery. 
“You know those fears and concerns of selective enforcement and bribery. What is going to happen now is that everybody, including government vehicles, shall be affected by the EPS-auto system except those vehicles with the right of way, and you know them,” he noted.

Appeal to road users 

“Globally, 80% of the crashes are attributed to speeding. Even in Uganda, speeding is one of the major factors that leads to traffic crashes, particularly on our roads. Others being alcohol, but speed remains one of the major factors. We cannot as a country sit and watch as people lose their lives and not take action,” Ssempebwa stated. 

He noted that as a country, we have been looking at other countries’ road safety interventions and admiring them. 

“Uganda cannot be an exception. People should know we are not dealing with speed alone. We have a multi-layered approach to interventions, which will be continuously rolled out. We should appreciate it. Your responsibility as a motorist/ road user is only one: why should you skip a red light, and there is oncoming traffic which has the right of way, and then you collide and crash? If we respect the rules of the road, we will cut down on road crashes and fatalities in Uganda,” he added. 

Uganda Bus Owners Association (UBOA) chairman and owner of the Link Buses Solomon Nsimire welcomed the move. 

“It is going to instil discipline not only among the bus drivers but all drivers. What we have done as bus owners is to sensitise our drivers. We have told them to follow the rules and regulations governing the roads. If you drive properly, you will not fall victim to the penalty. We expect them to behave and drive within the regulations. We all want safe driving on our roads. Let me hope the same will also apply to the bodaboda riders because they are the biggest perpetrators of traffic violations,” Nsimire said.

Road deaths

In February this year, while releasing the annual police crime report, Assistant Inspector General of Police Lawrence Niwabiine, who heads the traffic directorate, noted that 2024 road crash statistics showed more Ugandans are perishing in traffic accidents every day. 

The report showed that 5,144 Ugandans died in traffic accidents in 2024, translating to 14 deaths daily. 

The was an increase from the 4,806 people who perished in road crashes in 2023, or 13 deaths on the road every day. 

Niwabiine said more road deaths were recorded between 6:00pm and 8:00pm, whereby 894 road users lost their lives. This was followed by deaths that occurred between 8:00pm and 10:00pm, which stood at 514, while the third highest road deaths occurred between 4:00pm and 6:00pm at 511. 

“The highest number of crashes in 2024 (3,780) occurred between 18:00hrs and 19:59hrs. Similarly, fatal crashes (894) were also highest between 18:00hrs and 19:59hrs,” Niwabiine noted.

Police indicated that road deaths have continuously been on the rise. For instance, 4,534 died in 2022, which meant 12 people per day. The deaths rose to 4,806 in 2023, translating to 13 deaths per day, and now 5,144, meaning 14 deaths daily.