Museveni Warns MPs Over Digital Number Plates Probe

President Yoweri Museveni has cautioned members of parliament who are investigating Uganda’s controversial digital number plates project against producing inaccurate reports. According to Yunus Kakande, the permanent secretary in the Office of the President, the warning followed a State House meeting where legislators raised concerns regarding the initiative’s rising costs, technical capabilities, and contractual arrangements with the Russian firm Joint Stock Company Global Security (JSCGS).

Kakande noted that while the president respects parliament’s oversight responsibilities, lawmakers should avoid drawing conclusions without properly engaging the technical teams implementing the scheme. The parliamentary probe, spearheaded by the Physical Infrastructure Committee under Mwine Mpaka, has been scrutinizing the vehicle-tracking technology amid debates over its effectiveness and financial implications.

The digital number plates initiative stems from a 2018 presidential directive aimed at bolstering vehicle identification and tracking following several high-profile assassinations. Subsequently, the government partnered with JSCGS in 2021 to roll out the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS). Motorists currently pay Shs 714,300 for digital number plate kits on new registrations, while replacements cost Shs 150,000 for vehicles and Shs 50,000 for motorcycles.

Despite criticism from some quarters, Kakande maintained that the technology is already operational and successfully tracking vehicles across the nation. Authorities are currently refining the financial model, particularly the revenue-sharing framework between the government and the Russian contractor. To resolve outstanding concerns, Museveni has ordered the creation of three collaborative teams comprising Russian managers, government technical officials, and parliamentarians.

Read more about this development on The Observer.