President Museveni has dismissed claims that Uganda’s digital number plate initiative was put in place to collect fines or generating government revenue.
Speaking during the presentation of the 2025/26 national budget at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Museveni emphasized that the digital plates are part of a larger security framework meant to combat crime.
“I’ve heard concerns about the digital number plates. Let me be clear, they’re not about fines; they’re for combating crime,” Museveni stated, directly addressing public skepticism.
The president’s remarks follow come on the backdrop of a backlash by motorists towards the automated Express Penalty System (EPS)
Motorists complained of receiving hefty fines often without prior knowledge of committing any offense.
EPS, part of the Intelligent Traffic Monitoring System (ITMS), automatically captures traffic violations using surveillance cameras.
Offenses include speeding, missing or tampered number plates, not wearing helmets, lack of child restraints, and placing children under five in front seats.
Offenders are fined Shs 600,000 per violation, with a 50% surcharge applied after 72 hours, raising the total to Shs 900,000.
Motorists said they had ben fooled that digital number plates had been introduced to track criminals who use vehicles and motorcycles to commit crime but were being used to issue traffic fines.
However, Museveni stressed that the heart of the initiative lies in national security.
“I will not accept Ugandans dying because of incomplete security infrastructure. The cameras have already helped us in several ways, but digital number plates offer even more in the fight against crime,” he said.
The digital number plate rollout is part of a broader 10-year deal the Ugandan government signed in July 2021 with Russian firm Joint Stock Company Global Security.
Under this arrangement, all vehicles and motorcycles will be fitted with GPS-enabled trackers to aid in tracing criminals particularly those using vehicles and boda bodas to carry out violent crimes.
The initiative stems from Museveni’s 10-point security plan aimed at curbing gun-related violence.
