Russian firm defends digital plate delays, pledges 1,500 daily installations

What the report says

A Russian-run company overseeing Uganda’s digital number plate rollout has defended delays in the project while telling lawmakers it can speed up installations. Joint Stock Company Global Security, through project manager Damir Makhmutov of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System, briefed Parliament’s committee on physical infrastructure in Kampala on Monday and said supply disruptions linked to wars in Eastern Europe and Iran had slowed delivery of materials needed for the plates.

Makhmutov said shipping problems, including vessels being rerouted away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal and around the Cape of Good Hope, had lengthened transit times and raised costs. At the same time, he said the company has enough staff and technical capacity to install 1,500 plates a day, though he noted that by September 23 it had completed 1,307 installations. Lawmakers said they would look into whether that capacity was being reflected in service delivery for motorists.

The discussion also revived broader questions about the system’s cost, exclusivity and usefulness. Uganda Manufacturers Association board chair Richard Mubiru called for review of the firm’s 10-year agreement, while committee chair Mwine Mpaka said MPs would seek answers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs about whether the technology’s security features were working as intended.

Boda boda representatives told MPs the plates had not helped recover stolen motorcycles, though police have argued that timely reporting improves the chances of interception and recovery. More generally, the debate reflects ongoing scrutiny of Uganda’s vehicle-tracking and registration system as the rollout continues.