Uganda: Parliament Verifies Digital Number Plate Tracking Works and Identifies Areas for Improvement

What the report says

Uganda’s Parliament has stepped up scrutiny of the country’s Digital Number Plate Project after the Committee on Physical Infrastructure visited the Police Command Centre at Naguru in Kampala to observe the tracking system in operation. The inspection followed recent committee questions about whether the system’s security and vehicle-tracking features were working as intended.

According to The Independent, police and government officials had earlier presented evidence to MPs, including a report from police ICT director AIGP Felix Baryamwisaki that 337 of 375 stolen motor vehicles had been tracked and recovered. Committee chairperson Mwine Mpaka said lawmakers wanted to verify the claims in person and assess how the technology identifies vehicles, processes information and supports police work.

During the Naguru visit, MPs were shown how digital plates are used in active policing and asked for clarification on how the system’s data is stored and managed. The committee also examined a production facility for the plates, where officials said output stood at 2,500 kits per day and that more than 300 Ugandan workers are employed directly, with additional jobs linked to the project.

The broader parliamentary review has focused not only on security benefits but also on delays in plate issuance, production capacity, costs and communication with motorists. The inspections suggest lawmakers now accept the system is functioning, while still pressing for improvements in implementation, coordination and public-facing administration.