Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has written to the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, over the recently utilized automated electronic penalty plot—EPS.
Motorists this day blamed the big jams that hit the Kampala Metropolis Central Enterprise District on dread by drivers to win penalties. Many of the newly establish in traffic lights had been scenes of enormous jams most of Tuesday.
The contemporary plot that became as soon as rolled out about two weeks up to now, with the lend a hand of boulevard cameras, automatically issues penalties to drivers who commit traffic offenses. These offences that many drivers like fallen prey to embody speeding and failure to have a look on the indicators at traffic lights.
Within the contemporary plot, the times for paying the penalties sooner than a surcharge of fifty% is levied like also been diminished from 28 days to three days. The penalties like also been elevated in determined offences, equivalent to speeding over from 200,000 Shillings to 600,000. These contemporary policies like riled several motorists who like requested the authorities to analysis the coverage.
In his letter, Ssenyonyi says that he has been approached by several other folks asking him to develop bigger their command by asking the authorities to substitute the contemporary coverage. “While the intention in the aid of the EPS can were rooted in promoting boulevard safety and declare, its most trendy execution has raised frequent alarm amongst motorists and more than just a few boulevard users. I like in my figuring out obtained assorted complaints pointing to the plot’s relentless and, in a total lot of cases, excessive issuance of traffic fines without positive and accessible justification. In particular, drivers like described the EPS as punitive and exploitative, in desire to corrective or tutorial,” Ssenyonyi’s letter reads in piece.
It aspects out several areas that it says lift the want for the minister to analysis the coverage.
Amongst these, Ssenyonyi says that there became as soon as a lack of awareness and training on how the plot works, the suitable device to substantiate penalties, or the suitable device to contest wrongful fines. There will likely be confusion and inconsistencies on tempo limits, and yet in some areas, such because the Kampala Northern Bypass, there are not any positive signage or logical justification, setting up confusion and inadvertent violations.
He also adds that there are even safety dangers for using at low speeds in areas such because the Northern bypass, which explain motorists to ambushes and attacks by criminals. Ssenyonyi also takes exception to the penalties and restrictions, equivalent to being unable to commute abroad or renew using permits, which will likely be imposed on offending motorists.
Ssenyonyi’s letter also highlights the challenge of fines being issued erroneously or without drivers being responsive to the particular violation they’ve committed, which he says undermines public believe in the contemporary plot. He therefore known as upon the minister to mercurial analysis the matter to offset the anxiety that many motorists are going by.
“While I’d like most smartly-favored to lift these issues as we declare on the ground of Parliament, I’m unable to develop so because the Apartment is in the mean time in recess. On the other hand, I question that your place of job analysis the implementation of the EPS, habits colossal consultations with stakeholders, and institute corrective measures the save significant. Dual carriageway safety is a shared intention, but it like to be pursued in a technique that is sexy, appropriate, and respectful of the rights and safety of Ugandans,” Ssenyonyi acknowledged.
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