As Uganda faces an alarming rise in road traffic accidents, the government’s implementation of the Electronic Express Penalty System marks a major step toward improving road safety, saving lives, and relieving pressure on the country’s already overstretched health system.
With hospitals overwhelmed by accident-related injuries and fatalities on the rise, the system is being hailed as a timely and necessary solution. The Ministry of Health has praised the initiative, highlighting its potential to prevent accidents before they occur, ease the burden on hospitals, and promote greater discipline among road users.
The new system is part of Uganda’s broader Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS). It uses CCTV cameras and digital number plates to automatically detect and penalize traffic offences, including speeding and red-light violations.
Unlike the previous system where fines were directed to vehicle owners, the new model ensures that individual drivers are held accountable. It also enables authorities to track vehicles with unpaid penalties, strengthening enforcement and compliance.
According to Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Senior Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Health, the system offers significant benefits for both public health and road safety.
“This system will reduce the workload on health workers who are always receiving road accident victims. It will also instill discipline among drivers and riders, eventually reducing deaths on our roads,” Ainebyoona said.
He called on all motorists and riders to respect traffic laws, not only to avoid fines but to safeguard their own lives and those of others.
At the front-line of Uganda’s medical response to road crashes is Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, where the impact of reckless driving is felt daily. Moses Chelogoi, Principal Radiologist at the hospital, revealed that 80 per percent of patients seeking CT scan services are accident victims of which most of them male boda boda riders with head injuries.
“Before the CT scanner was installed in Kabale, we had to refer all critical cases to Mbarara, which often delayed treatment for patients across the entire Kigezi region,” Chelogoi added.
Recent data from the Uganda Police Force highlights the urgency of the situation. Road crashes increased by 6.4%, from 23,608 in 2023 to 25,107 in 2024. Fatal crashes also rose by 6.1%, from 4,179 to 4,434. In just one week between February 23 and March 1, 2025 motorcycle crashes accounted for 53% of road fatalities, while 23% involved pedestrians.
Through fair and efficient enforcement, the Electronic Express Penalty System is expected to change driver behavior and significantly decrease preventable road accidents.
Authorities continue to urge the public to adhere to traffic regulations and view the new system not as a punishment, but as a vital life-saving tool designed to protect both road users and the healthcare infrastructure that supports them.
