IN SHORT: Uganda’s traffic regulations penalise offences such as illegal parking. The claim that motorists will be fined for not driving their vehicles at least twice a week is false. Authorities have issued no directive or gazette supporting the claim.
“All vehicle owners must use their vehicles at least twice a week; failure to do so, a separate fine will be issued for parking or having a ‘stationary’ vehicle,” reads a screenshot of a tweet apparently posted by Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport.
The ministry is responsible for building and maintaining the country’s transport systems and public buildings. It also sets and enforces rules to ensure transport is safe, efficient and sustainable.
In Uganda, parking fees and fines vary by municipality, with the most structured systems found in urban centres such as Kampala, Gulu and Kabale. In Kampala, which is managed by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), parking fees are typically USh1,000 (about US$0.30) per hour for the first two hours, followed by USh800 for every additional 30 minutes.
In outer zones, such as Makindye, parking may be charged at a flat rate of USh2,000 per day. Failure to pay can result in clamping, impoundment or fines starting at USh40,000, particularly for offences such as illegal on-street parking or obstructing traffic.
In many Ugandan municipalities, most local governments work with private contractors to manage parking systems.
In 2023, Anita Among, the speaker of Uganda's parliament, raised concerns about “idle car parking”. Among was referring to vehicles that are left stationary for long periods in public or sensitive areas, such as near parliament. She said these cars could pose a risk and urged the relevant government agencies to address the issue.
However, her concerns were specific to security, and she did not suggest introducing a nationwide regulation requiring vehicles to be used.
The circulating screenshot was designed to resemble a genuine X post on a mobile device. It appears here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is it legitimate? We checked.
No such law exists
New regulations affecting Ugandan motorists are usually widely reported by credible news outlets. However, there is no evidence from any trusted source or official publication supporting this alleged new fine.
We searched for the post on the official and verified X account of Uganda’s transport ministry but couldn’t find it.
The main legal frameworks governing street parking in Uganda are the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998 and the Traffic and Road Safety (Parking of Motor Vehicles) Regulations, 2001. These laws outline what constitutes a parking offence, including illegal parking, failure to pay fees and obstructing traffic.
They empower authorities like the KCCA and the Ugandan police to enforce rules. However, the laws do not require vehicle owners to use their cars a certain number of times per week, nor do they impose fines on stationary vehicles.
Although the act was amended in 2019 to introduce stricter penalties for reckless driving and improve licensing and vehicle regulation, no changes were made to specify how often a car must be driven.
Furthermore, a review of recent Uganda gazette publications reveals no new legislation mandating vehicle usage frequency or imposing fines for leaving vehicles stationary.
The viral tweet is a fabrication.
The false claim has also been published here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Add new comment