Uganda: Museveni Orders Itms Contractor to Explain Cost Increase, Tracking Gaps

What the report says

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has asked the proprietors of Joint Stock Company Global Security to explain concerns over the country’s Intelligent Transport Management System, or ITMS, according to reporting by Nile Post distributed through AllAfrica. The questions center on a reported rise in project cost from $123 million to $257 million, along with doubts about the effectiveness of digital number plates and vehicle tracking.

The issue came up during Museveni’s meeting with Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure at State House in Entebbe on Wednesday, as lawmakers wrapped up an inquiry into the contract awarded to the Russian company. The committee, chaired by Mwine Mpaka, has been examining claims of contractual irregularities, delays, revenue-collection arrangements and whether some presidential directives may have been used to bypass legal requirements.

According to the article, lawmakers also raised concerns that digital number plates were not included in the contractor’s original agreement, that stolen vehicles could only be traced for a limited period after a theft report, and that no cameras had been installed despite an undertaking to procure 350. The committee is also reviewing revenue-sharing terms, including a reported 80 percent share for the contractor, and bank records linked to the company.

The inquiry matters because the ITMS was intended to improve transport monitoring, help police recover stolen vehicles and manage public revenue. Separately, the report says officials have disputed some of the criticism, arguing the system is still new and should be given time to stabilize.