Cabinet approves mandatory vehicle inspection

Cabinet has approved the controversial mandatory and periodic motor vehicle inspection service, which was halted by Parliament in 2017, citing job creation and enhancement of revenues.
Parliament blocked the services on grounds of high fees, arguing that the inspection mandate should be left to the police.
Mr Dennis Katungi, the communications and media relations manager of Uganda Media Centre, yesterday said the system will improve road safety, control air pollution, create jobs, curb theft of motor vehicles and enhance tax collection.

“The benefits include enhanced revenue collections through ensuring that every vehicle is compliant to all statutory requirements (Road safety, tax laws and transfer of ownership),” Mr Katungi cited the Cabinet decision.
In July 2016, the government made inspection of motor vehicles compulsory at least once a year. The project was halted after Parliament demanded that the work should done by a government agency.

Government contracted a Swiss company Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) to carry out the inspection.
SGS has established several centres across the country to inspect motor vehicles. Each centre has a capacity to inspect more than 200 motor vehicles a day.
The Ministry of Works and Transport spokesperson, Ms Susan Kataike, said after the Cabinet decision, the ministry will invite the contracted company to sign the addendum of the contract.
“It is like we are starting afresh. After signing the contract, we shall be able to tell the deals about the fees, when the inspection will start and other details,” Ms Kataike said yesterday.

Before the halting of the project, SGS was charging Shs54,752 for the inspection of a motorcycle, Shs59,000 for buses, Shs100,000 for a taxi and Shs147,500 for a truck.
Motorists whose vehicles failed the test were required to pay half the first fee for another inspection.
Members of Parliament and vehicle operators protested the fees saying they were unfair and inequitable. Taxi operators wondered why they were paying Shs100,000 for inspection every six months when buses were subjected to annual test at Shs59,000.
The parliamentary committee on infrastructure recommended a revision of the fees.

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Fresh storm rocks motor vehicle inspection deal

The exercise was supposed to be reverted to the Works ministry, but some officials the sources described as mafia, ‘want to smuggle SGS back in’

Kotsa speaks out
Mr Rashid Ssekindi, the chairman of Kampala Operational Taxi Stages Association (Kotsa), said if the issues raised in their petition to Parliament aren’t addressed in the new contract, they would reject the entire process.
“We told them that the inspection must look into the condition of vehicles we buy in Uganda. We use reconditioned cars dumped in developing countries yet the machine uses very high standards. This means we will all fail the tests,” Mr Ssekindi said.
He said they want a flat fee for all vehicles undergoing inspection.
Mr Mustapha Mayambala, the chairperson Of Uganda Transport Development Agency, said their worry is on how the inspectors will test commuter taxis that are originally made for carrying goods.

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