The Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Allen Kagina yesterday disclosed that they are in advanced stages of digitizing toll payment on the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway (KEE).
She made these remarks on while presenting UNRA’s Half Year (2021/22) Performance Report.
“Contracts for the provision of payment platforms for Kampala – Entebbe Expressway (KEE) including Airtel Money, Mobile Money were reviewed and cleared by the Solicitor General so that you can top up your card without having to go the plaza (booth),” Kagina said.
This development follows a significant jump in the number of road users plying the 51.4 kilometer route.
“Daily traffic through the toll plazas averages 20,000 vehicles. We had projected 14,000 vehicles. Toll collections, that is from the point of sale and toll lanes from the beginning of toll operations, from 8th January to 8th February, the collections were Shs 3,087,434,000,” Kagina illustrated.
Suffice to note, a French firm known as M/S Egis was on May 24, 2021 contracted to undertake operation/maintenance services and officially began collecting toll taxes on January 8, this year.
The Company’s Spokesperson Joy Nabasa is confident that the coming on board of telecom services will further streamline collection of toll taxes and reduce congestion at the Kajjansi, Busega and Mpala tolling plazas.
“One will be able to top up remotely on the UPESI card. We will have the number one can dial like star something .. and then one can come straight through the toll without visiting the point of sale,” Nabasa quipped.
Nabasa, however, clarified that this will only apply to road users with UPESI cards.
Rates gazetted by Works Minister stipulate that vehicles under class 1 including Motorcycles above 400cc are supposed to part with Shs 3000 per trip while Class 2 and Class 3 medium goods vehicles (2-3 axles) will pay Shs 5000 and Shs 10,000 respectively.
Class 4 automobiles which include buses (4-5 axles) are supposed to pay Shs 15,000 while those with six axles are charged Shs 18,000.
Meanwhile, Kagina revealed that they have completed arrangements to illuminate the entire stretch.
“Procurement of all lighting poles and lamps is complete, currently pending tax clearance. And setting lighting pole locations and substations is complete. So the entire road will be lit, this is a question we have been asked several times,” she said.
Axle load control
In the same vein, Kagina told journalists that during the period under review “a total of 401,622 vehicles were weighed in the last 6 months and 14,710 (3.7%) were found to be overloaded and out of this, a fine was imposed totaling to Shs 462,220,737 in penalties.”
It should be noted that weighbridge operations fully resumed on June 6th, 2021 following the relaxation of Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Although there were instances of downtime associated with weighbridge and computer failures at Mbale, Malaba, Elegu and Magamaga fixed weigh stations, average weigh bridge availability stood at 90.7% against an annual target of 95%.
Most importantly, UNRA’s Acting Director of Road Maintenance John Bosco Sejjemba stated that their primary interest lies in maintaining roads in good condition and not money, “as it’s often misconstrued.”
“First of all our business is not to collect money. The less the money, the better for us. But this money, when it is collected, it goes to the Consolidated Fund (National Treasury) directly. UNRA does not touch it, it goes into the Consolidated Fund to support Government expenditure,” Sejjemba quipped.
