URA demands Shs52billion from express traffic penalty payments

The Director Traffic Police and Road Safety, Dr Steven Kasiima. FILE PHOTO 

The Police traffic and Road Safety Directorate owes Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) express Penalty fees to a tune of Shs52.6 billion.

The money arises from outstanding payments for Express Penalty Schemes (EPS) receipts issued to drivers and motorists in the last 10 years.

Some drivers and motorists once receipted, disappear with the receipt and never pay for it.

Section 179 of the Traffic and Road Safety Act empowers Uganda Police Force through the Directorate of Traffic and Road safety to enforce the EPS which is a revenue generator for police and government.

A recent 2017 Auditor General indicates that despite the mandate of the police to enforce this scheme,  it's impossible for them to demand this outstanding payments from drivers due to lack of a computerised system.

"Tickets are currently issued manually to traffic offenders throughout the country. Lack of computers with internet connectivity in almost all stations outside Kampala and issuing tickets to offenders manually makes it difficult for traffic officers to reconcile with URA EPS defaulters," the Auditor General’s reports reads in part.

Traffic police has been trying to install a central tracking system which can be used to track defaulters. The system is currently functioning at different regions across the country.

However, the traffic police spokesperson, Mr Charles Ssebambulidde says there is a lot that needs to be done about the system in order for it to effectively track defaulters and compel them to pay.

"We need to synchronize it with the URA EPS system but also to introduce electronic billing to the system. We are doing everything possible to ensure that this is done soon," Mr Ssebambulidde said.

Out of the money collected through the EPS, a small percentage goes to the police Force for its expenditure.