Uganda Revs Up Digital Transformation: New Date Set for Digital Car Number Plates Rollout
By Fredrick Siminyu
The Ministry of Transport and Works, together with that of Security and the Uganda Police Force (UPF) on Thursday held a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, to update Ugandans on the implementation of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System Project (ITMS).
Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport, highlighted that; over the years, motor vehicle ownership in Uganda has risen to about two million one hundred and forty five nine hundred and eight. (2,145,988m) vehicles as of 3rd July 2024.
“This growth has been coupled with an increase in associated challenges such as; crime involving the use of motor vehicles, road traffic accidents, multiple number plates and forgeries”, he said.
Gen. Wamala said tracking down criminals and bringing traffic offenders to justice has substantially been bogged down due to lack of sufficient evidence regarding motor vehicles used to execute these crimes.
“Similarly, the management and administration of motor vehicles has over the years faced challenges of lack of a credible and reliable database, poor quality control measures, lack of technical staff in the motor vehicle processes, distorted reporting structures, low revenue collection and discrepancies in registration books”, he added.He said the Government of Uganda partnered with Joint Stock Company “Global Security”, to deliver the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS).
Gen. Wamala enumerated advantages of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring system to include; the ease of recognition of vehicles used by criminals to carry out crimes in the Country to enable quick and timely response by the Security Agencies, Traffic Management and Enhance revenue collection through the issuance of traffic tickets to traffic offenders.
“Implementation of the ITMS project has several components; including issuance of digital registration plates. The new registration plates depart from the ones being issued currently”, he added.
AMajor General (retired) Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, the Minister for Security, said it’s against this background, that Government is putting in place all the requirements for massive roll-out, and will continue rolling out in phases; from 1st November 2024, where government will start issuing registration plates to new motorcycles and 6th January 2025, full roll-out of all categories of vehicles and motorcycles.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Ezrah Mujabwami, the Deputy Director of ICT in the Uganda Police Force (UPF), said the new solution provides for tracking of all vehicles in real-time on the ITMS Platform at the Police Command Centers of Naguru and Nateete, to allow the Government of Uganda trace and resolve vehicle criminals or traffic offenders as and when required.
“The motor vehicle registration system on ITMS which includes the booking system, the verification system and the stock control system is substantially completed”, he said.
