Cabinet passes the Inland Water Transport Bill-2020

The Cabinet has passed the Inland Water Transport Bill-2020. They have authorized the minister of works and transport to publish the Bill in the gazette and cause it to be tabled before parliament for debate and enactment.

The Bill intends among other things to regulate the water transport industry as it has for long been unregulated and underdeveloped.
This has resulted in deterioration of the major inland infrastructures like the ferry system, docking sites and related passenger transport facilities.

Henry Ategeka, a principal inspector of vessels with the maritime department in the ministry of works and transport said the existing water transport-related laws are outdated and need to be overhauled.

Ategeka, during the recent stakeholders consultative meeting about the Bill in Kampala, said the majority of the existing water transport-related laws are outdated with none deterring punishments to abusers of the water bodies.

The existing water-related laws including but not limited to the Inland the Water Transport Control Act Cap. 356, the vessel registration Act Cap. 362, the Uganda Railways Corporation Act 1992, and the Rivers Act Cap. 357.

He said the overall objective of the Bill is to provide a legislative framework to improve the inland water transport and promote safety, security, prevention of marine pollution, and encourage the private.

Barnard Khabakha, a maritime expert with the ministry of works and transport said there has been a gross abuse of water-related laws that resulted in accidents.

The Bill spells out the functions of the maritime administration department of the ministry of works that include, among others, coordinate and control the shipping activities on inland waterways, registration of seafarers, vessels, and crew.

It issues, renews, suspends, cancels or withdraws certificates, licenses, authorizations and exemptions granted under the Act and regulations of the Act.