The government through the Ministry of Works and Transport has suspended the controversial Automated Express Penalty System (EPS Auto) for one month.
The suspension comes a day after the ministry temporarily halted EPS fines due to public outcry and threats of protest from motorists, taxi, bus, and lorry operators who had planned a nationwide demonstration.
On Wednesday, a concerned citizen, Kagingo Muhammad Brutus petitioned the High court seeking an interim injunction to halt rollout of digital number plates and the collection of automated express traffic penalties.
He said the process was fraudulent, shrouded in illegality, and conflict of interest in the process.
Kagingo alleges that Joint Stock Company Global Security is fraudulent and non-existent in law.
He claimed that Joint Stock Company Global Security Company was struck off the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) register for failure to file returns for over five years.
Kagingo averred that Global Security was never gazetted, as legally required, before it began collecting traffic-related fees.
In a statement issued on Thursday June 12, 2025, the Minister for Works and Transport Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, said the decision is in response to various complaints from the general public that need to be addressed by the relevant government agencies.
The system may have had errors in synchronizing with EPS data from the police, resulting in duplicated fines and interchange of offenses,” Katumba said in a statement, adding that “further sensitization of road users is also necessary to appreciate the regulations.”
The statement further reads: “The fines for speeding were too harsh, and the 72-hour allocation for payment was also too short. Another concern is that the scope of implementation of the 30km/h speed limit within urban areas was too broad and needed to be restricted to only special zones, such as schools, marketplaces, hospitals, and church zones.”
The Minister explained the lack of speed signs on some roads to guide road users on the expected speed limit was another concern that needed to be addressed by the relevant authorities.
He also noted that during this process, the speed cameras will be aligned with speed signposts on roads, such as the Nkumba to Katabi section on Entebbe Road, which currently lacks speed signs.
Wamala said during the suspension period, the government will verify concerns regarding issued fines, review the regulation, and sensitise the public on the regulations.
The one-month suspension provides temporary relief to the transport, logistics, and broader business sectors, which had raised concerns that the system was increasing operational costs and undermining supply chain efficiency, particularly for small businesses, distribution firms and manufacturing operations heavily reliant on road transport.
Financial Model Under Renewed Scrutiny
Addressing Parliament at Kololo ceremonial grounds after delivering his budget speech, President Museveni said Uganda’s initial lack of capital to finance the digital surveillance system led to arrangements where private contractors including Russian firm Joint Stock Company Global Security financed infrastructure upfront, to be repaid through fines collected over time.
“I think the confusion about the EPSAutoUg fines could be because we didn’t have the money upfront. So, we told those people to make the digital number plates, and we would recover the money from those who ‘make mistakes,’” Museveni explained.
“Otherwise, every vehicle must have a digital number plate—it’s not about money or fines, no! It’s about security.”
Uganda began issuing digital registration plates for private and public motor vehicles on Monday, 6th January 2025, marking the third phase of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS)project.
Vehicle owners must pay Shs713,000 for new registrations, Shs150,000 to switch old plates, and Shs50,000 for motorcycles.
Ministry of Works and Transport reviewed and updated the Traffic and Road Safety (Speed Limits) Regulations, 2004 to enable the operationalization of the Act passed by parliament.
They were according to Katumba Wamala aimed at improving driver behavior among road users and to develop a safety culture to protect the most vulnerable road users especially the pedestrians and passengers that do not control the vehicle.
They were gazetted in February. They set a reduction in speed limits in redefined “urban centers” and increased in the maximum penalties from UGX200, 000 to UGX600, 000 for any person who exceeds the speed limit.
President Museveni did not comment further about the fact that the schemes had been suspended by Works and transport Minister, General Katumba Wamala.
The EPSAuto is aimed at detecting violations like over-speeding and running the red-lights, capture and process the vehicle or motorbike registration number plate plus the location, time and avail photo or video, generate an E-fine which is logged into the ITMS database against the violating vehicle or motorbike and verified by an in-charge police officer.
The registered vehicle owner is hence notified by SMS or email the type of offence, date committed, amount of fine, deadline for payment and reference number with the payment channels.
