Attorney General: 2021 Digital Number Plate Contract 'Null and Illegal'

Uganda’s chief legal advisor, Attorney General Dr. Sam Mayanja, has informed Parliament that the government’s agreement with Russian firm M/S Joint Stock Company Global Security (JSCGS) for the implementation of digital number plates is legally invalid.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure, Dr. Mayanja stated that the contract, signed in July 2021, contradicts fundamental Ugandan laws and requires a complete overhaul. He emphasized that JSCGS has failed to meet its primary commitments, including the crucial transfer of technological knowledge for the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) to the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the commercial wing of the UPDF.

Echoing these concerns, Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Mr. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, confirmed that NEC has been largely excluded from the project. This exclusion has prevented NEC from participating in the ITMS operations and from receiving its stipulated five percent share of revenue from fines and penalties. The Minister described this as a “material breach of the cooperation agreement.”

Further investigations by the committee revealed that no feasibility study was conducted before the contract’s finalization. Dr. Mayanja asserted that due to these fundamental defaults, the contract does not legally bind the State of Uganda.

In response, a representative for JSCGS, Mr. Damir Makhmutov, argued that technology transfer and training are already in progress, with Ugandan staff involved in manufacturing and maintenance. He anticipates Ugandan specialists will be capable of managing the system independently by the contract’s end.

Lawmakers are now planning to discuss the matter with President Museveni. The committee has also summoned government officials involved in the procurement process and expects a formal presentation from JSCGS before finalizing its report.

The agreement aimed to deploy mandatory digital number plates across Uganda to enhance crime detection and vehicle tracking, with JSCGS responsible for building, maintaining, and upgrading the system. The contract was signed on July 23, 2021.