A road traffic bill passed by Parliament on Monday, January 5, seeks to introduce clear timelines for transferring vehicle ownership.

According to the Minister of Infrastructure who tabled the bill before MPS, this move is aimed at improving accountability and enforcement in the transport sector.

ALSO READ: Parliament passes road traffic bill replacing 39-year-old law

Under the legislation, which is awaiting presidential assent and publication in the Official Gazette, vehicle ownership transfer must be completed within 12 months for transactions concluded before the law comes into force.

Transfers for transactions made the law takes effect must be completed within 90 days.

During plenary debates, MP Germaine Mukabalisa raised concerns over what she described as unequal treatment of citizens under the new legal framework.

ALSO READ: Traffic point deduction system should be rolled out with 'caution'

Mukabalisa pointed out that while some vehicle owners are granted a 12-month timeline to regularise ownership, others are required to comply within a much lesser period.

She warned that the law could result in unfair situations during enforcement.

"A police officer may stop and penalise someone for failing to transfer ownership under the passed law, while another person in the same situation is allowed to continue driving for 12 months, even though neither has completed the transfer,” she said.

According to Mukabalisa, the only distinction between such individuals is the timing of their transactions—one completed the sale before the law takes effect, while the other did so after. She also questioned why a uniform transition period was not provided.

"If this law requires preparation and proper implementation, why not give everyone the same time to comply?” she asked, adding that the absence of a clear transition mechanism could lead to unequal application of the law.

Why different timelines?

Responding to the concerns, MP Hope Tumukunde Gasatura, Chairperson of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Security, which scrutinised the bill, said the 12-month deadline was designed to address long-standing practical challenges linked to past vehicle transactions.

She explained that many buyers and sellers face difficulties tracing former owners, often requiring court intervention or assistance from criminal investigative agencies.

"These are real issues on the ground, which is why a longer period was provided to allow people to resolve them,” Gasatura said.

However, she underscored that all vehicle transactions conducted after the law comes into force must comply immediately with the new requirements.

"Those who failed to transfer ownership in the past were not compelled by law. But anyone buying or selling a vehicle now must understand that there is a legal obligation to complete the transfer,” she said.

ALSO READ: Vehicle impoundment for drink driving raises concerns in parliament

Gasatura criticised the practice of changing vehicle ownership multiple times without formal registration, pointing out that it leads to tax evasion, ownership disputes, and complications when vehicles are involved in criminal activities. She added that such practices also contribute to congestion at impounding yards.

"This law seeks to put an end to those problems,” she said, underscoring that the 12-month timeline reflects the complexity of resolving past cases.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore, also weighed in on the issue, saying many people who bought or sold vehicles in the past no longer have the contact details of the original owners.

"In such cases, one must go to court to declare that the original owner cannot be traced before the vehicle can be registered in the new owner’s name,” Gasore said.

He stated that the process involves publishing related announcements in the media and waiting periods, which justified the 12-month deadline period.

The minister assured Parliament that the law will not be enforced before the issuance of a ministerial order to guide its implementation. He added that the ministry will fast-track the issuance of the order.

According to the draft ministerial order, Article 99 provides that when a vehicle is sold or transferred, the new owner must receive a registration card in their name within 90 days.

"Anyone buying a vehicle now will know the seller’s identity and address and will be aware that the law gives them 90 days to complete the transfer,” Gasore said. "There is therefore no justification for granting a 12-month timeline for new transactions.”

He warned that extending the transfer period to new cases would lead to the same challenges that some vehicle users face today, where vehicles pass through several hands and the original registered owner cannot be traced, requiring court intervention to regularise ownership.

After deliberations, Article 42 – which provides for vehicle ownership transfer – was adopted by 75 MPs, while two voted against it.