Uganda doesn’t look like it is ready to continue to have many vehicles around Kampala’s city center again. Latest move by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), the country’s agency in charge of maintaining the country’s capital city, Kampala, is to make it mandatory for all private cars entering the city centre to pay a certain fee, on top of parking fees and other levies. Uganda’s minister of Kampala, Ms Betty Amongi, said a draft policy would soon be shared in Cabinet for discussion and once approved, it will then be tabled to Parliament for endorsement.

“You will be charged an amount to enter the city. If you have a private car, you will have to pay before you enter the central business district,” the minister said. “The policy is under discussion and once Cabinet and Parliament approve it, we will commence with its implementations.”

Here Is What You Need To Know

• The minister said the KCCA would soon determine how much money each vehicle is expected to pay before accessing the city centre.
• On why private cars should be made to pay, the minister said the phenomenon is not new since some cities both in Africa and world over charge private cars entering main cities.
• The proposal to introduce a fee for private vehicles coming into the city came up last year but was rejected by the motorists.
• Private car owners are made to pay for parking fees of between Shs5,000 ($1.3) and Shs10,000 ($2.7) per day for designated places and Shs1,000 (27 cents) per hour.

Read also: Uganda Restricts The Operations Of Digital Bike-Hailing Startups. Now Requires Licenses

• They also pay for third party insurance, which ranges from Shs45,000 to Shs70,000, and tax on fuel.
• The latest move is coming after boda bodas were granted a grace period of 90 days to temporarily operate in the city centre until November 1.
• Ms Amongi said the grace period will enable boda boda riders to register with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) so that they are allocated gazetted stages.
• The minister of Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, at the same press conference directed all digital transporting companies such as Safe Boda, Bolt and Uber to register with the government.

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer