In an effort to strengthen the inspection procedures of secondhand motor vehicles for road worthiness, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has issued new standards to be followed.
The standard, developed by the agency’s technical committee on transport and communications, specifies safety related performance characteristics.
UNBS Executive Director Dr Ben Manyindo, said the Standard dubbed US845, comes as a response to the growing demand for standard procedures in the inspection of used motor vehicles in Uganda.
He added that the standard now awaits public review for comments until September 5, 2017, after which it will be approved and declared as a national standard by the National Standards Council.
Dr Manyindo said the new standard requires that second hand vehicles are inspected for conformity to Uganda Standards before being exported from the country of origin in what is known as Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC). As such, cars are issued with a certificate of roadworthiness to allow them in the country. The certificate is valid for a period of one year, thereby requiring routine inspection for road worthiness on annual basis.
According to Dr Manyindo, the standards provide guidelines to streamline processes and procedures used in inspection of motor vehicles. “Motor vehicle inspectors, garages, and mechanics will find the standards useful for carrying out routine check and inspections of second hand motor vehicles,” Dr. Manyindo said.
Last financial year, the UNBS developed 357 standards which were approved by the National Standards Council.
UNBS manages the processes of standard development and enforcement to ensure consumer protection and to encourage fair trade.
