(1)
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires- "bicycle" means any vehicle which has at least two wheels propelled by means of pedals or hand cranks solely by the muscular energy of the person riding it;
"carriageway"
means a portion of a public road including the various traffic lanes and auxiliary lanes, but excludes shoulders;
"chief licensing officer"
means the chief licensing officer of motor vehicles designated under section
3
and includes a deputy chief licensing officer;
"country taxicab"
means a public service vehicle, not being a town taxicab with a seating capacity not exceeding seven excluding the driver and marked in a manner prescribed by regulations;
"Competent Authority"
means the department of transport regulation and safety in the Ministry responsible for transport;
"currency point"
has the value assigned to a currency point in the First Schedule to this Act;
"dealer"
means a person who trades in, manufactures, assembles or repairs motor vehicles, trailers or engineering plants for financial reward or gain on their own account in accordance with section
29
;
"demerit points system"
means a method by which numerical values are assigned to traffic offences in proportion to the seriousness of the offence;
"digital network"
means a set of communication standard for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data and other network services over the traditional circuits of the public switched telephone network;
(a)
in relation to a motor vehicle, means a person who drives or attempts to drive or is in charge of a motor vehicle or other vehicle (including a cycle) or an instructor of a learner driver;
(b)
in relation to a towed vehicle, means a person who drives the towing vehicle; and
(c)
in relation to digital transport network, means a person who-
(i)
receives via a digital network a request for the provision of pre-arranged rides from one or more potential user;
(ii)
uses a vehicle to offer or provide one or more potential user through a request with a prearranged ride following connection with the passenger via a digital network; and
(iii)
has met the safety requirements prescribed under this Act;
"driving school"
means a school licensed under section
37
where a person intending to drive a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant receives instructions in driving a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant;
"dual-purpose vehicle"
means a vehicle that is constructed or adapted for the carriage of passengers and of goods or burden of any description, the unladen weight of which does not exceed two tonnes;
"engineering plant"
means movable plant or equipment being a self-propelled vehicle or trailer designed or constructed for special purposes of engineering operations which, when proceeding on a road, does not carry any load other than such as is necessary for its propulsion or equipment;
"examining officer"
means a person appointed as an examining officer under section
4(1)(c)
for purposes of testing drivers for issuance of a drivers' licence;
"goods operator's licence"
means a licence issued under section
83
;
"goods vehicle"
means a heavy motorcar which is constructed or adapted for use for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description;
"heavy goods vehicle"
means a heavy motorcar which is constructed or adapted for use for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description exceeding a weight prescribed by regulations;
"heavy motorcar"
means a motor vehicle, not being a motorcycle, which is constructed to carry a load or passengers, the permissible maximum weight of which exceeds twelve thousand kilograms;
"heavy omnibus"
means a motor vehicle used for the carriage of persons, having a seating accommodation exceeding 30 seats in addition to the driver's seat and may be coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds seven hundred fifty kilograms;
"heavy tractor"
means a tractor the weight of which exceeds two tonnes;
"insurance"
has the same meaning as in the Insurance Act, 2017;
"licence"
means a licence issued under this Act;
"licensed instructor"
means a person licensed under section
37(3)
to instruct a person to drive a motor vehicle, trailer or engineering plant;
"licensing officer"
means a person appointed as a licensing officer under section
4(1)(a)
for purposes of licensing and registering motor vehicles, trailers and engineering plants under this Act;
"licensing year"
has the meaning assigned to it in sections
6
and
60
;
"light goods vehicle"
means a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted for use for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description exceeding three thousand five hundred kilograms but does not exceed seven thousand five hundred kilograms and may be coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed seven hundred fifty kilograms;
"light omnibus"
means a vehicle having seating accommodation for more than eight people in addition to the driver's seat but not exceeding sixteen people in addition to the driver's seat and may be coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed seven hundred fifty kilograms; or, may be coupled to a trailer, not used for the carriage of persons, the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds seven hundred fifty kilograms but does not exceed the un-laden mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 12,000 kg;
"manufacture"
with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means to subject any physical matter to any process which materially changes the matter in substance, character or appearance;
"medium goods vehicle"
means a medium motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted for use for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description exceeding three thousand five hundred kilograms but not exceeding twelve ten thousand kilograms;
"medium motorcar"
means a motor vehicle, not being a motorcycle, which is constructed to carry a load or passengers the permissible maximum weight of which exceeds three thousand five hundred kilograms but does not exceed twelve thousand kilograms;
"medium omnibus"
means a motor vehicle used for the carriage of passengers and having seating accommodation of more than eight people in addition to the driver's seat but not exceeding thirty people in addition to the driver's seat and may be coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed seven hundred kilograms;
"Minister"
means the Minister responsible for transport;
"motorcar"
means a motor vehicle, not being a motorcycle, which is constructed to carry a load or passengers, the permissible maximum weight of which does not exceed three thousand five hundred kilograms, and in the case of a passenger vehicle having not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat;
"motorcycle"
means any two-wheeled motor vehicle, with or without a side car equipped with a propelling engine;
"motor vehicle"
means any self-propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on the road;
"owner"
means, in the case of a vehicle which is for the time being registered under this Act, the person or persons appearing as the owner or owners of the vehicle in the register kept by the chief licensing officer under this Act;
"owner's transport vehicle"
means a goods vehicle of an employer of labour in respect of which a permit is granted under section
88
to carry the employees or agents of that employer;
"passenger vehicle"
means a vehicle that is constructed or adapted solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects and includes a dual-purpose vehicle;
"pedestrian crossing"
means a crossing for foot passengers of the part of a road normally used by vehicular traffic established under this Act and indicated by traffic signs in accordance with the regulations applicable to that crossing;
"pre-arranged rides"
means the provision of a platform whereby a passenger requests a driver for a ride through a digital network and the driver accepts the request from the passenger;
"private omnibus"
means a motor vehicle used for the carriage of persons, not being a public service vehicle, having seating accommodation for more than eight persons in addition to the driver's seat;
"public omnibus"
means a public service vehicle that carries passengers at separate fares on a previously determined route;
"public service vehicle"
means a passenger vehicle licensed to carry passengers for hire or reward;
"quadricycle"
means a motor vehicle with four wheels used only for pleasure purposes;
"register"
means a register which includes information stored for use in a computer and any other apparatus;
"registered practitioner"
has the meaning assigned to it under the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act;
"rental vehicle"
means a passenger vehicle which is a public service vehicle not carrying passengers at separate fares and which plies for hire at a licensed fixed place of business not being a taxi rank, taxi park, bus park or road, on daily, weekly or monthly basis or for a specific journey;
"road"
has the same meaning as defined in the Roads Act, 2019;
"semitrailer"
means any trailer designed to be coupled to a motor vehicle in such a way that part of it rests on the motor vehicle and that a substantial part of its weight and of the weight of its load is borne by the motor vehicle;
"special machinery"
includes tractors and earth moving equipment including graders, bulldozers and compacters;
"tourist vehicle"
means a motor vehicle that is specially designed and built for transportation of tourists;
"town taxicab"
means a motorcar used as a passenger vehicle which stands on a rank or plies for hire on a road or a fixed place of business and is licensed to carry passengers for hire or reward under a contract express or implied for the use of the vehicle as a whole at an authorised fee and rate displayed on the vehicle and the sum indicated on the meter;
"traffic warden"
means a person appointed as a traffic warden under section
166(1)
;
"trailer"
means any vehicle designed to be drawn or propelled by a motor vehicle but does not include-
(a)
an integral sidecar, integral fore car or integral trailer attached to a motorcycle (which shall be regarded as forming part of the vehicle to which it is attached);
(b)
engineering plant; or
(c)
agricultural implement not constructed or adapted for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description when drawn by a farmer's power-driven vehicle;
"transportation Network Company"
means a person that uses a digital network to connect licensed drivers and motor vehicles to willing users for a fee;
"tricycle"
means a motor vehicle with three wheels;
"vintage motor vehicle"
means a motor vehicle registered in Uganda before the first day of January, 1980 and which is used solely for purposes of exhibition at motor shows or similar events;
"vehicle"
includes a machine or implement of any kind drawn or propelled along roads whether by animal, mechanical, electrical or any other motive power;
"vehicle inspector"
means a person appointed as a vehicle inspector under section
4(1)
.
(2)
Where, for the purposes of Part V of this Act, there is reasonable doubt whether a person is a citizen of Uganda, the burden of proof shall be upon that person.
(3)
For the purposes of Part V of this Act, a "company" whether incorporated in Uganda or not, and a "firm" the firm name of which is registered in Uganda, shall be regarded as a citizen of Uganda if, in the case of a company, more than 51 percent of its share capital, or in the case of a firm, more than 51 percent of its partnership property, is held by or on behalf of persons who are citizens of Uganda.
(4)
A statutory declaration made by a director, partner or other person responsible for the management of that company or firm referred to in subsection (3) that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief more than 51 percent of the share capital of the company or more than 51 percent of the partnership property of the firm is held as described in subsection (3) shall be prima facie evidence that it is so held.