Five new driving licensing centres to be established upcountry
A Boda Boda cyclist carries two passengers in Lira City recently. Five new driving licensing centres are set to be established upcountry. PHOTO | BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- The Uganda Driver Licensing System (UDLS), a new company contracted by the government in March 2021 to issue driving licences, is currently operating in Kampala, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Arua, Jinja, Mbale and Gulu.
The government is set to open five additional driving licensing centres in Lira, Masaka, Moroto, Hoima and Kabale in a bid to bring services closer to the citizens.
The Uganda Driver Licensing System (UDLS), a new company contracted by the government in March 2021 to issue driving licences, is currently operating in Kampala, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Arua, Jinja, Mbale and Gulu.
Mr Edward Kizito, the acting principal road safety officer at the Ministry of Works and Transport, confirmed the development, saying the move is aimed at ensuring that only trained drivers are on the roads to reduce accidents.
“The first centre will be opened in Lira, that is why we have brought our mobile driving license issuance here, and we are impressed by the high turn up of people who want to acquire driving licenses," Mr Kizito said during the launch of a five-day exercise for the issuance of new driving license and renewals at Lira City council hall on Monday.
In 2022, over 4, 500 lives were lost in road crashes and it was mainly contributed to unskilled drivers, according to Mr Kizito.
"These are fatalities of persons who died because of road crashes that were reported, but we know that there are so many out there that went unreported," he said.
He explained that to acquire a valid driving license, one has to first enrol with Uganda Security Printing Company to get a learner's driving certificate that enables them to go and train. After the training, they are supposed to undergo a driving test which is conducted by the Police Inspectorate of Vehicles (IOV).
He said that after passing the driving test they can then apply for a driving license at the UDLS.
Ms Monica Nyomera, the officer-in-charge of traffic in Lira, said the department had been having challenges in enforcing the Traffic and Road Safety Act because most Boda Bodas had no riding permit.
Mr Moses Okori, the chairperson of the Lira Urban Motorcycle Boda-boda Association (LUMBA), said the opening of a centre in Lira is going to address the issue of conflicts with the traffic rules and regulations.
