• Ugandans are rising up against the newly launched Electronic Penalty System (EPS), an automated traffic enforcement initiative by the Ministry of Works and Transport aimed at improving road safety. 
  • Social media is flooded with complaints, with users calling the fines excessive and the system unfair, especially given Uganda’s poor road conditions. Comparisons to Rwanda’s EPS, where fines are significantly lower at Shs80,000, highlight the perceived injustice.

Ugandans have decided to rise up and raise their voices on all platforms available in protest of the ‘unfair and unreasonable’ Electronic Penalty System [EPS].

It should be recalled that the Ministry of Works and Transport in Uganda last week officially launched the Automated Electronic Penalty System (AEPS), a state-of-the-art initiative aimed at enhancing road safety and promoting compliance with traffic regulations. The new camera-enabled system is now fully operational across the country and actively issuing electronic tickets to motorists who violate speed limits and red light rules.

As per the guidelines EPS, which is fully operational already and enforced through automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, is designed to detect traffic violations such as speeding and red-light offences.

Once a vehicle is flagged, a ticket is automatically generated and sent to the vehicle owner via email or SMS, who has 72 hours to pay or face a 50 percent surcharge

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Drivers with pending tickets are barred from renewing their driving licences or leaving the country.

Now Ugandans across social media have expressed their concern and dissatisfaction with this system.

Below are some of the comments from netizens;

“Park that car at home for a week. Yes its going to be inconveniencing to you to get into a taxi or use a boda but park that Car in Solidarity. It’s a Matter of time before this dangerous EPS is on your door. 1 Million in a day fine is stupid,” suggested one social media user.

“During accidents and robberies, Zero footage. But the moment it’s about EPS fines, they’re suddenly 4K, zoomed in, and timestamped. This country? A big joke btw!!!!!,” said another.

“We all need to come up against this Daylight robbery in EPS system. How do you issue out a ticket to a person just because he is driving at 31km/hr on lugogo? This is rubbish,” went another in disappointment

Some of the factors about this situation that motorists have pointed out as unrealistic include:-

“For the- MOTORCYCLES, TRICYCLE AND QUADRICYCLE UNDER THIS EPS SYSTEM:-

  • New maximum speed limit (kilometres per hour) for paved roads – 60km.
  • Old maximum speed limit (kilometres per hour) for paved roads – 100km

For the- MOTOR VEHICLES BUILT TO CARRY PASSENGERS AND DUAL PURPOSE VEHICLES:-

  • New maximum speed limit (kilometres per hour) for paved roads – 90km
  • Old Maximum speed limit (kilometres per hour) for paved – 100km
  • Violation of these rules lead to Shs200,000 Fine. Penalty for driving beyond the set limit which is to be paid in 72 hours.

Uganda won’t be the first country in East Africa with such a system as Rwanda too has it. But to put into context Rwanda’s EPS, Uganda’s finest are 300 times more than the neighbor’s.

In Rwanda, motorist have been charged Shs 80,000 for the past six years ever since the system was installed. It helped reduce the Rwanda’s road accidents drastically which Ugandan authorities claim to be trying to curb.

However, various analysts have pointed out that this system works best on proper roads which is not the case in Uganda.