Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Ministry of Works and Transport says 423 of 531 taxis inspected at Namanve and Kawanda have failed dangerous mechanical condition tests, raising concerns about the safety of public transport vehicles on Uganda’s roads.The ministry said only 108 taxis, representing 20.3 per cent of those inspected, passed the tests, while 79.7 per cent failed.
The taxis are among vehicles impounded by police during the ongoing Ganyegenya operation, launched by the Ministry of Works and Transport and enforced by the Uganda Police Force to remove mechanically unfit vehicles from public roads.
In a statement, ministry spokesperson Emanuel Ayinebyona said the inspections had identified several mechanical defects that rendered the vehicles unsafe for public transport.
The defects included faulty brakes, defective steering systems, worn-out tyres, failed suspension systems and malfunctioning lights.
These defects can affect a vehicle’s ability to stop, maintain directional control and remain visible to other road users, increasing the risk of crashes and injuries to passengers, pedestrians and other motorists.
The inspection exercise is part of broader efforts by the ministry and police to enforce vehicle fitness requirements and improve road safety.Meanwhile, the ministry’s mandatory inspection exercise for heavy dump trucks, including Sinotruk models, reaches its deadline today, October 16, following a 60-day inspection period announced on August 17 in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force.
The exercise was introduced in response to road crashes involving dump trucks, some of which have resulted in fatalities.
As of October 15, 492 dump trucks had undergone inspection. Of these, 390, representing 79.3 per cent, passed, while 102, or 20.7 per cent, failed.
The inspections cover critical safety components, including braking efficiency, steering systems, tyres, emissions, suspension, lighting and structural integrity.
The ministry has directed that dump trucks without valid inspection certificates will not be allowed to operate on public roads beyond today’s deadline.
Joint enforcement operations by the ministry and police are expected to begin immediately, with vehicles found operating without the required certification liable to impoundment.
However, inspections will continue for dump trucks operating within the Kampala Metropolitan Area before the exercise is extended to other parts of the country.
The ministry has urged owners and operators of dump trucks that have not yet complied with the directive to present their vehicles for inspection at designated centres in Namanve and Kawanda.
The inspection results show that mechanical defects remain a concern in both public transport taxis and heavy commercial vehicles. The ministry’s enforcement drive seeks to identify and address such defects before they contribute to road crashes.
