Uganda is tracking its vehicles, but there’s no law that says who can look

What the report says

The Observer reports that Uganda’s vehicle-tracking program is facing fresh scrutiny from Parliament over who can access the data it collects and how that access is controlled. The discussion centers on the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System, a project run by the Moscow-based Joint Stock Company Global Security, which has been linked to digital number plates and other equipment installed in vehicles.

According to the article, Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure has raised questions about what the system actually includes, how data is stored, how long it is retained and which agencies or individuals can query it. The report says lawmakers have found that the visible plate is only one part of a larger setup that also includes an in-vehicle tracking device, a SIM card and related data-processing systems. It also says there is no published framework spelling out access rules, logging requirements or independent oversight.

The piece argues that these gaps are especially important because a private company operates the system and the government is planning to connect the vehicle register to owners’ phone numbers, email addresses and other contact details. That, the article says, could make the database more useful for enforcement but also more sensitive if misused or breached.

The Observer’s article calls on Parliament and the government to publish the contract, disclose what data the system collects, set legal limits on access, involve the Personal Data Protection Office, and consider a value-for-money audit before expanding the project further. It frames the issue as part of a broader debate about surveillance, privacy and oversight in Uganda.