KAMPALA: President Yoweri Museveni has signed a raft of new laws among which is the one requiring speeding motorists to pay sh2m.
The news laws include; The Lotteries and Gaming (Amendment) Bill 2023. The traffic and Road safety Act, 1998 (Ammendment) (No2) Bill 2023, The Value added Tax (Amendment) Bill 2023, The convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters Bill, 2023, The Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2023, and The Appropriation Bill 2023.
However, the most critical of these is The Traffic and Road safety Act, 1998 (Ammendment) (No2) Bill 2023 which has already drawn public criticism over the hefty fine.
The aim of the Act is “to provide for a speed limit in the Act to ease the control of the speed limit through the express penalty scheme as opposed to court prosecution as provided for under the Roads Act, 2019.”
The Act states that, “The Minister may, by regulations, prescribe speed limits in respect of all public roads or sections of public roads.”
It further adds: “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the Minister may, by statutory order, prescribe temporary maximum speed limits for motor vehicles, trailers or engineering plant of different classes or descriptions on any part of any road for such period as may be specified in the order.”
Once a motorist fails to abide by the set speed limits, the Act states thus, “A person who fails to comply with a speed limit set under subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years, or both.”
Each currency point equates to Sh20,000, meaning the total fine is sh2m. Currently, motorists who speed pay a fine of sh200,000 through express penalty scheme.
Other Acts
Key in the Lotteries and Gaming (Amendment) Bill 2023 is that every amount won in a betting or casino hall will be subjected to 30% tax.
Do you want to share a story, comment or opinion regarding this story or others, Email us at newsdayuganda@gmail.com Tel/WhatsApp........0726054858