The Ministry of Works and Transport has emphasized that motorcycles as the case is with vehicles, must undergo compulsory inspection by government so as to conform to standards in a bid to reduce road accidents.
Speaking to boda boda riders and taxi drivers at Nsangi subcounty headquarters on Saturday afternoon, Ronald Amanyire, the secretary, National Road Safety council in the Works ministry said motorcycle riders and owners have neglected the call by government to have them inspected saying these risk being impounded.
“The minister will write to the Inspector General of Police to notify him on when the crackdown can begin but the fine is prescribed for anyone found without a certificate of road worthiness as being Shs 200,000,”Amanyire said .
A few months ago, the Transport minister, Monica Azuba Ntege, said that there is no deadline for the compulsory inspection of vehicles.
“The deadline does not exist because it would mislead the public to believe that after that day, they should either park their vehicles or have them inspected first,” Azuba told Parliament in June.
According to Amanyire, motorcycles, just like motor vehicles, are liable to causing accidents on the road and this can be eliminated by inspecting them.
In 2015, Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), a Swiss company was contracted by the Works and Transport ministry to carry out the inspection of vehicles in the country.
According to Yusuf Ssesaazi, the station Manager for SGS station in Nabbingo along the Kampala- Masaka road, the compulsory inspection is in respect to vehicle alignment, lights, suspension system and brake system among other things in the vehicle.
“A vehicle that passes the test is given a certificate of worthiness whereas one that does not pass, the driver is given a report of what needs to be rectified so they can go to mechanics to put it in proper condition,”Ssesaazi said.
He however downplayed rumours that the process would render mechanics jobless adding that their company does not repair vehicles but rather diagnoses and the driver goes to the mechanic of their choice to rectify the problem.
Motorists are supposed to pay Shs Shs46, 000 for motorcycle inspection, Shs93, 000 for small vehicles and Shs125, 000 for minibuses.
However according to Amanyire, motorcycles are supposed to be inspected once a year whereas public service vehicles are expected to undergo compulsory inspection after every six months.
