Uganda faces scrutiny over $25M digital number plate project

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has petitioned Parliament to declare the agreement for the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) void. The society is calling for a suspension of fee collections until a competitive procurement process is completed, arguing that the current deal with Russian firm Joint Stock Company Global Security bypassed legal requirements for public-private partnerships, including feasibility studies and financial models.

The ULS also raised constitutional concerns regarding privacy rights and potential violations of the Competition Act, noting that the exclusive control granted to a single company may limit consumer choice and increase costs for motorists.

During parliamentary committee hearings, Minister for Water and Environment Kahinda Otafiire criticized the US$25 million project, stating it functions more as a basic tracking service rather than an advanced transport-monitoring system. Otafiire noted that the Russian technology is incompatible with existing Chinese-made surveillance cameras used by the police. He further alleged that the Uganda Police Force was excluded from the procurement process and questioned the system's reliability, citing instances where the technology failed to accurately track vehicles when number plates were removed.