Uganda Introduces Tyre Import Certification

Problems surrounding the importation of sub-standard tyres in Uganda may be reduced following the decision to introduce a certificate of conformity that importers must obtain from manufacturers. A consensus to this effect was reached during a recent workshop held by the Uganda Industrial Research Institute.

Regulation of the sale of tyres has become the responsibility of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and at the opening of the workshop UNBS executive director, Dr. Terry Kahuma, commented that regulation will better ensure safety and fair trading. “We have embarked on enforcing standards of imported tyres in order to protect road users and passengers against accidents caused by sub-standard tyres,” Kahuma was quoted as saying by Uganda’s New Vision newspaper. “This has come up as a need to protect consumers and traders dealing in good quality tyres but subjected to unfair competition by those dealing in poor quality tyres.”

Dr. Kahuma further announced that the UNBS would in due course require the bulk of imports entering the country to be certified from the countries of origin.