Hon. Francis Mwebesa,Minister of Trade, Industries & Cooperatives 5th from the left with other stakeholders, pose for a picture during the launch COMESA Yellow Card
A significant milestone in cross-border road safety and insurance enforcement has been achieved with the launch of the COMESA Yellow Card Third Party USSD Verification Application in Uganda. This innovative tool empowers law enforcement agencies, particularly the Uganda Police, to easily verify if foreign motorists entering the country have valid insurance, ensuring better protection for Ugandan lives and property.
The app, which can be accessed by dialing _284_8070#, allows real-time verification from any phone and helps combat fake COMESA Yellow Card Insurance at border points. This development is expected to reduce enforcement delays and save drivers money.
Busuulwa William, Chairman of the Transporters Association, expressed hope that the new initiative will cut enforcement delays and save drivers money. “The association operates 5,000 trucks on the Northern Corridor route and 6,000 on the Central Corridor route. He noted that 2,000 trucks cross Malaba and 1,500 cross Busia daily, most using COMESA Yellow Card Insurance. He raised concern over the use of fake insurance, blaming it on a lack of support from authorities but also expressed hope that the new initiative will cut enforcement delays and save drivers money.”
Busuulwa William, Chairman of the Transporters Association
Assistant Director of Traffic, Norman Musinga, welcomed the app as a tool that simplifies enforcement and enhances road safety by ensuring all foreign vehicles on Ugandan roads have valid insurance. “We recommend regular training of police officers and stakeholders and continuous advancement in technology to stay ahead of cybercriminals who may try to duplicate or tamper with the system.”
Sande Protazio, representative of IRA Uganda, applauded truck driver associations for spreading awareness. “He stressed the app’s role in distinguishing valid insurance from expired or fake ones during claims processing moving forward.”
Sande Protazio director Planning, Research & Market Development at Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda delivering his speech at the launch of yellow card
Jonan Kisakye, CEO of the Uganda Insurers Association, acknowledged stakeholder support and underlined fraud as a key challenge in motor insurance. “He urged URA to go beyond tax collection and help promote the COMESA Yellow Card as a revenue opportunity. He reaffirmed UIA’s commitment to supporting the initiative alongside Motor Third Party insurance.”
The Minister of Trade, Industries & Cooperatives, Hon. Francis Mwebesa, emphasized the importance of seamless cross-border travel and trade in today’s interconnected economies. “He praised the new USSD application as a major step in enhancing efficiency and reducing fraud in verifying COMESA Yellow Card insurance.”
Uganda Re CEO, Ronald Musoke, hailed the launch as a milestone in improving the security and reliability of motor vehicle insurance within COMESA. “The app is free to use, requires no data or fees, and empowers all users to verify COMESA Yellow Card Insurance instantly.”
COMESA CEO, Calven Mutyavaviri, explained that the digital platform replaces the outdated paper system, making verification faster, safer, and more accessible.
The benefits of the app include:
– Enhanced road safety
– Reduced fraud
– Improved efficiency in verifying COMESA Yellow Card insurance
– Better protection for Ugandan lives and property
Ronald Musoke-CEO Uganda Re
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