The Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) has called on Parliament to scrutinise the monopoly granted to a foreign firm contracted to manufacture and install digital number plates, citing delays, rising costs and disruptions to businesses.
The call was made on Monday, September 28, 2026, during a meeting between the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure and stakeholders. The meeting was chaired by committee chairperson Hon. Mwine Mpaka.
In 2021, the Government signed a 10-year agreement with Russia-based Joint Stock Company Global Security, making it the sole manufacturer of digital number plates in Uganda.
UMA Board Chairperson Richard Mubiru said the digital number plate system was introduced to address security challenges associated with counterfeit and falsified number plates, but questioned whether the intended benefits had been achieved.
“From where we sit at UMA, we have not seen a breakthrough in that regard,” Mubiru told the committee.
Mubiru said the arrangement had effectively sidelined two companies that previously manufactured number plates, although he did not name the companies.
Stakeholders also raised concerns over prolonged delays in the issuance and installation of digital number plates, with some users telling MPs they had waited for months after making payments.
Hassan Ssentongo, a boda boda rider, told the committee that he paid for a digital number plate on July 28, 2025, but had not received it.
“I paid for a number plate when I was changing from UBD696N to digital. I paid on July 28, 2025, under order number S43461, and when I complained, they gave me another assessment that I should pay again,” Ssentongo said.
The Chairperson of the National Boda Boda Union, Frank Mawejje, also criticised the delays, saying explanations given to customers were not satisfactory.
“When you complain to these people, they tell you that there is a war between Israel and Iran and the consignments have delayed on the way,” Mawejje said.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the digital number plates in combating motorcycle theft.
“We have never recovered any motorcycle using a digital number plate. Motorcycles are being recovered using cameras,” he said.
Mawejje further protested the increase in number plate charges from Shs125,000 to more than Shs700,000, arguing that boda boda riders should not be subjected to the same charges as private vehicle owners.
Kezekia Bwire, Vice Chairperson of the Uganda Clearing Industry and Forwarding Association, accused the company of being unresponsive to some clients and raised concerns over vehicles and motorcycles that had allegedly gone untraced.
“Hon. Waluswaka [James] has a digital number plate. Can you, as Joint Stock, use your liaison person at police to track the vehicle and tell us where it is?” Bwire asked.
During the meeting, stakeholders cited a case in which a vehicle was deliberately kept in a garage and the digital tracking system was asked to locate it, but reportedly failed to do so.
Responding to the concerns, Damir Makhmutov, Project Manager for the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System at Joint Stock Company Global Security, acknowledged that the Government had written to the company over shortages and delays and urged faster action.
Makhmutov attributed some of the delays to disruptions to international consignments caused by conflicts abroad.
He, however, maintained that the company had sufficient technical capacity and personnel to meet demand.
“We have the technical capability. We have enough staff to perform 1,500 installations per day. But, for example, as of September 23, we had done 1,307 installations,” Makhmutov said.
The Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure is expected to conclude its inquiry into the digital number plate system and present its findings and recommendations to Parliament.
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