The Ugandan government has announced plans for a mass rollout of digital number plates in October. The government said it intends to first “prepare and sensitise the public about the importance and relevance of the service towards our road safety and security.
The issue of digital number plates was first planned for July 1, 2023 in a bid to help curb crime in the country.
But the company, Joint Stock Company Global Security, which was contracted to supply the digital number plates was yet to deliver the items.
The digital number plate will use RFID (radio frequency identification) tagging which will store vehicle-specific information such as insurance, tax, and journey records and will serve as a means of instant identification, tracking, and monitoring.
Registration and placement of digital number plates on motorcycles and vehicles will each cost Shs 735,000 ($200), according to Treasury Secretary, Ramadan Ggoobi. The price has been a sore spot for locals who have said is on the high side.
Activists have since expressed concern about privacy, saying security services could misuse the system which allows 24/7 monitoring of motorists.
But Ugandan President Museveni said the government is not interested in the private lives of motorists but countering crime, especially terrorism.
