The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga summons Trade minister Amelia Kyambadde over mandatory vehicle inspection
The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has summoned the Minister of Trade Industry and Cooperatives, Ms Amelia Kyambadde, to among others explain the issues concerning the clearance of the mandatory vehicle inspection.
Kadaga’s summon only comes few weeks after the Cabinet recently cleared the Swiss company, Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) to carry out proper and mandatory vehicle inspection countrywide, lifting a 2017 halt imposed by Parliament on grounds that it did not promote local content.
During yesterday’s Parliament sitting, Kadaga who was first to give an example of the Uganda Motor Industry, an association of Ugandan motor specialists willing to take on the inspection job implied that the Trade Minister has to advise Parliament on their arrangements before considering available options.
According to the Kadaga, many local companies here in the country have the capacity to the inspection and that they would want to be given an opportunity because they are all Ugandans.
So they don’t see why the government is giving preferential treatment to a foreign company when the same work can be done by Ugandans under the Buy-Uganda-Build-Uganda.
“They are stating that they can do an inspection and that they would want to be given an opportunity because they are all Ugandans so they don’t see why the government is giving preferential treatment to a foreign company when the same work can be done by Ugandans under the Buy-Uganda-Build-Uganda,” Ms Kadaga implied during Tuesday 10th March Parliament sitting.
Besides, Kadaga explained that the Uganda Motor Industry Association who also have 10 people on board importing new cars into the country are already in discussions with the government to renew the contract of SGS to undertake the mandatory vehicle inspection.
“They are taking issue with the government decided to renew the contract of SGS relating to motor vehicle inspection,” Kadaga explained.
In recent years, the quality of cars imported into the car has been a topic of discussion regarding their ability and effectiveness.
This in return has culminated into too many road accidents because these cars are past their time in terms of operation and they are too old.
As a way of trying to eradicate the importation of these old fashioned vehicles, the government ordered for the proper inspection of every car imported into the country.
Vehicle inspection involves verifying vehicles to ensure that they meet and conform to regulations governing safety, emissions, or both.
Under the vehicle inspection, it will be even much easier to determine and estimate a particular car’s date and year of manufacturing including other hidden details.
