Otafiire Questions Value of US$25 Million Digital Number Plate Project

Former Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire has raised serious concerns regarding the US$25 million Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS). Appearing before the parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure, Otafiire stated that the Uganda Police Force was not involved in the procurement process of the controversial digital number plates.

Otafiire revealed that he initially resisted the project because the introduced Russian technology was incompatible with the Chinese technology already powering existing security cameras across the country. He noted that due diligence showed the equipment was merely assembled from various manufacturers and functioned more like a basic fleet-management tool rather than a robust transport monitoring network.

To demonstrate its limitations, the minister recounted an experiment where a vehicle’s number plate was brought to his office while the vehicle stayed in Kololo. The system falsely indicated that the vehicle was still in Kololo, proving it only tracks the device rather than the actual car. He also questioned why Uganda abandoned local manufacturers like Wavamuno in favor of costly foreign imports.

Conversely, former Works Minister Gen Katumba Wamala defended police tracking capabilities, sharing that he directly benefited from the surveillance network which helped trace suspects involved in the 2021 attempt on his life. However, Otafiire maintained a strict distinction between the functional existing camera network and the questionable ITMS initiative.

Committee members, including Deputy Chairperson William Tiyo, expressed fears that Uganda is squandering public funds on unsuitable foreign tech, especially with proposals for an additional US$158 million investment to fix initial flaws. Lawmakers emphasized the need for rigorous scrutiny of the pricing and procurement models.

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