The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | New Speed Limit Regulations that detail what “Urban Areas” are, will be disseminated this week and take immediate effect. The regulations see a reduction in speed limits in specific urban centres and subsequently an increase in the maximum penalties from sh200,000 to sh600,00 for any person who exceeds the speed limit.
Signed late last year by the Minister of Works and Transport Gen Katumba Wamala, they see a reduction of speed limits from 50Kph to 30Kph for urban areas. Speed limits for expressways and highways remain at 100Kph.
Speed on all roads adjacent to a school, church, hospital, market or business centre high human or vehicular interaction, is now limited to 30Kph. This categorization was not there before, but was introduced in the new regulations.
“The changes also come on a backdrop that the previous regulations did not provide for specific traffic speed limits for specific zones especially busy centres, thereby exposing pedestrian traffic to accident risks,” an official at the Ministry Of Works said.
The last changes to speed laws were last done 20 years ago, the Uganda’s Speed Limit Regulations 2004 that replaced those of 1972.
The 2004 Regulations prescribed a general Speed Limit of 50kph for Urban Areas, Trading Centres and built-up areas for all types of motor vehicles.
“Any person who exceeds a speed limit specified in the first and second schedule of these regulations commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a
fine not less than five currency points and not exceeding ten currency points or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both,” stated the 2004 regulations.
The Speed Limit Regulations of 2024, that were published in the Gazzete last week, focus on express penalties for offences.
“A person who contravenes any provision in these Regulations shall pay an express penalty in accordance with the Traffic and Road Safety (Express Penalty Scheme for Road Traffic Offenders) Regulations, 2024. (2) The express penalty referred to under sub-regulation (1) shall be— (a) ten currency points in excess of one to thirty kilometres per hour; or (b) thirty currency points in excess of over thirty kilometres per.”
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Selected Summary of speed limits
Can’t help but recognize the hypocrisy due to selective application of these laws where by ordinary citizens are basically the target and then the lawmakers and those of rank and file are basically unaffected … are they in a different category of human beings? For all we know these top shots lose many lives and also kill many lives in their speeding & their disrespect of the laws of the land. And then, by example, others soon follow them and then the law will basically be rendered useless for the purpose, but rather serve to enrich a few. On the other hand, of what impact are the reduced limits vis-a-vis the productivity of people and their livelihoods? Would we also need a stricter adherence to a set roads standard if any? Otherwise, for example, you’re in danger of traveling for 4 to 5 hours from Masaka to Kampala and then that has it’s own translations. U see the issues?