Uganda Parliament investigates digital number plate project

Uganda’s Parliament is conducting an inquiry into the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), a digital number plate project launched in November 2023. Originally intended as a security measure to assist police in tracking stolen vehicles, the initiative is facing scrutiny regarding its procurement, costs, and legal compliance.

The Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure has interrogated 19 stakeholders and is seeking a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni before presenting its final report next week. The committee aims to discuss implications for taxation, the economy, and national security. While the Auditor General has begun examining transactions, a comprehensive audit is still pending.

Government officials have defended the system. Security Minister Jim Muhwezi noted the technology's ability to track vehicles across borders, citing the recovery of a stolen police vehicle in Kenya. Police data indicates a 90 percent recovery rate for reported stolen motor vehicles (337 out of 375), though motorcycle recovery remains low, with only 174 of 782 reported stolen motorcycles recovered.