Concerned citizens and whistleblowers in Uganda’s transport and road safety sector have called for a review of a proposed Shs158 billion procurement by the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), raising questions about the continued involvement of the company implementing the country’s Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS).
In their report, the group asked the President, Parliament and accountability institutions to scrutinise the proposed procurement of Modular Motor Vehicle Registration Components, which they say is expected to involve Joint Stock Company Global Security, the company contracted to implement the ITMS and digital number plate system.
The whistleblowers claim the proposed procurement could result in government spending an additional Shs158 billion on functions they believe were already contemplated under the original ITMS arrangement.
They said the ITMS project was initially presented as an end-to-end system covering vehicle registration, tracking and digital number plates.
Their main concern, they said, is what they described as potential duplication of services.
“The original ITMS justification was that it would provide end-to-end registration, tracking, and number plates. Procuring registration components separately from the same vendor amounts to paying twice for the same function,” the whistleblowers said.
The group also questioned the procurement method and continued reliance on Global Security, arguing that retaining the same provider without open competition could create long-term dependence on a single vendor.
“Retaining the same vendor without open, competitive bidding entrenches vendor lock-in and hands over Uganda’s entire motor vehicle registry, data sovereignty, and future revenue to a single foreign entity,” they said.
The whistleblowers further questioned the estimated cost of the proposed procurement, describing Shs158 billion as excessive and calling for the government to demonstrate value for money.
“shs158 Billion for registration components is exorbitant and not commensurate with regional benchmarks for similar systems. This is taxpayers’ money at a time when the country is rationalizing expenditure,” the statement said.
The concerns come amid continued public and parliamentary scrutiny of the digital number plate programme.
Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure has previously received complaints over shortages and the cost of digital number plates. The official ITMS platform lists the price of a new set of digital number plates at Shs714,300.
The government has said the ITMS is intended to improve vehicle registration, tracking, road safety and security through an integrated digital system.
The whistleblowers have called on President Yoweri Museveni and the Minister of Works and Transport to halt the proposed Shs158 billion procurement pending a review.
“In the interest of transparency and protection of public funds, we call upon H.E. The President and the Hon. Minister for Works and Transport to halt the UGX 158 Billion procurement pending review,” they said.
They also want the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Auditor General and Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) to investigate the procurement process and establish its relationship with the existing ITMS contract.
“The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Auditor General, and PPDA [should] immediately investigate the procurement process for the shs158Bn motor vehicle registration components and the relationship with the existing ITMS contract,” the group said.
The group further called on Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure and Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to summon Ministry officials to explain the proposed expenditure.
“Parliament of Uganda—Committee on Physical Infrastructure and COSASE—to summon MoWT to explain the need for an additional shs158Bn to the same ITMS vendor,” they said.
The concerns arise as government continues to invest in the digital transformation of Uganda’s motor vehicle registration system.
Planning documents from government indicate that motor vehicle registration modular components on the ITMS platform form part of the Ministry of Works and Transport’s planned activities.
The National Planning Authority’s NDP IV Projects Investment Plan lists the Streamlining Management of Motor Vehicle Registration project, which includes digitisation of registration documents, post-registration processes and the issuance of new vehicle registration plates.
The Ministry’s strategic plans have also provided for development and maintenance of modular motor vehicle registration systems on the ITMS platform.
The whistleblowers, however, want the government to clearly explain the scope of the proposed procurement, its relationship with the original ITMS contract and the basis for the additional expenditure.
They argue that greater transparency is necessary before the procurement proceeds.
The group concluded its statement with a strong warning over what it described as the risks associated with the digital number plate programme.
“We shall not allow Uganda to be mortgaged through number plates,” they said.
The allegations and concerns raised by the whistleblowers have not, in the document provided, been independently substantiated. The Ministry of Works and Transport, Global Security and the relevant procurement authorities would have an opportunity to respond to the claims and clarify the scope and status of the proposed procurement.
