Ugandan Government Introduces Digital Number Plates

The initiative to replace the outdated license plates with digital ones has been made official by the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The Intelligent Transport Monitoring System will be implemented by /S Joint Stock Company Global Security, a Russian company, and the digital number plates will be equipped with bluetooth chips.

Speaking at the rollout on Wednesday, General Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport, stated that government vehicles will be deployed first, followed by motorbikes, throughout Kampala.

On February 1, 2024, the official rollout for private automobiles will begin.

“Direct advantages include those related to national security. Although our nation is well-liked and among the top travel destinations in the world, we still need to improve security, and this technology will help with safety and the management of crimes involving vehicles. Due to improved traceability, tracking, and reporting from the national police command center, the project will aid in preventing the theft of motor vehicles, according to Gen. Katumba.

Magic Bullet

The Minister of Works and Transport stated that the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System, along with digital number plates, will be the ultimate solution for combating criminal activity. He also mentioned that Ugandans who purchase number plates will receive a complimentary tracking system installed in their cars, enabling easy tracking in the event of theft.

“It will discourage reckless driving through constant monitoring through CCTV cameras and point to point communication by police officers. The system is also intended to instill discipline among motorists on the road but will also save the traffic police officers the burden of jumping on boda bodas to chase wrong doors but will rather communicate to colleagues and the wrongdoers are got.”

“The system will help us trace criminals who use vehicles or motorcycles to flee from crime scenes.”

He claimed that because of the system, all of the information on Ugandans who own cars will be kept in one location, which will help with tax collection. He also claimed that jobs will be created for individuals who will staff the system and work in the number plate factory in Bugoloobi.

Nonetheless, Gen. Katumba Wamala allayed concerns about Ugandans being spied on by the system.

There is no reason to be concerned because it won’t be misused. The technology won’t impede your nighttime business; it will only do so in the event that there is a criminal component,” he stated.

Since each digital number plate will have a unique code, he claimed that this will help improve government vehicle registration and identification under ministries, departments, and agencies.

Since every agency’s number plate is blue at the moment, it can be challenging to tell one from the other. You can now tell if this is from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Energy, or another organization.”

The Russian corporation has trained police personnel to install trackers in vehicles, according to Minister of Security Gen. Jim Muhwezi. The company is investing its own funds, which it expects to recover in ten years.

The project

Following the assassination of high profile figures in the country including AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, Joan Kagezi, Col.Ibrahim Abiriga, Muhammad Kirumira and Maj.Muhammad Kiggundu, President Museveni in 2018 laid out a 10-point strategy that would help deal with this rising spate of violent crimes in the country.

“We will mandate that all drivers and motorcycle riders have electronic license plates with electronic signals; this will be at the expense of each owner. In the 2018 State of the Nation speech, Museveni stated, “This will allow us to know which vehicle or piki piki (motorcycle) was in a particular area when a crime was committed.”

“We require new helmets with back and front lit numbers. These helmets will be registered and added to the police department’s central processing systems.”

Every car and motorcycle, according to the idea, will need to have a digital license plate with a chip installed so that, in the event of a crime, security may quickly use the system to track down the vehicle at the exact location where the crime was committed.

The president claimed that installing CCTV cameras and reviewing the recorded material would make implementing this simple.