Works Ministry engages Albertine stakeholders on express penalty system
“Once a driver accumulates a certain number of offences, their licence will be affected,” he added.
Bunyoro: The Ministry of Works and Transport has held a consultative meeting with OC Traffic officers and transporters in the Albertine region to validate the Express Penalty System (EPS), a key initiative aimed at improving road safety across the country.
The engagement, held at Miika Eco Resort, brought together key stakeholders to provide feedback on the system before its full implementation.
Robert Kisakye, Senior Licensing Officer at the ministry, said the consultation is intended to gather views from road users and enforcement officers to ensure the EPS is effective and fair.
“The aim of this engagement is to reduce road accidents and enhance road safety. We are collecting feedback from stakeholders region by region to inform necessary policy adjustments,” Kisakye explained.
He noted that vandalism of road signs remains a major challenge nationwide, contributing significantly to road accidents. Kisakye also clarified that the proposed removal of the 30 km/h speed limit was a misinterpretation, emphasizing that the restriction will remain in designated areas such as schools, hospitals, churches, and markets.
Kisakye further revealed that the government is introducing stricter laws targeting speeding drivers. Under the new system, drivers will have points assigned to their driving licences, which will be deducted upon committing traffic offences.
“Once a driver accumulates a certain number of offences, their licence will be affected,” he added.
Osbert Tumwine, OC Traffic for Buliisa District, expressed concern over the increasing cases of road sign vandalism. He revealed that investigations suggest some individuals involved in installing road signs are also responsible for removing and relocating them.
“We are keen on identifying those behind this vice. Our findings indicate that some of the very people who install these signs later remove them and take them elsewhere,” Tumwine said.
During the meeting, stakeholders highlighted several factors contributing to the high rate of road accidents. Key among them were poor drainage systems that lead to flooding on roads, as well as the deteriorating state of major highways.
Participants cited the Busunju–Hoima Road as particularly hazardous due to numerous potholes, which have been linked to several accidents, including a recent fatal crash involving a bus that caught fire after a head-on collision.
They also raised concerns about the narrowness of roads such as the Luwero–Nakasongola–Kiryandongo–Gulu highway, noting that the limited width makes it difficult for large vehicles, especially buses, to navigate safely at high speeds.
Stakeholders called on the government to prioritize road maintenance, improve drainage systems, and widen major highways to reduce accidents and enhance road safety.
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