Uganda's Intelligent Transport Monitoring System and digital number plates

What the system is

ITMS uses digital number plates, fitted trackers, telecom links and monitoring software. MPs inspected it at the Police Command Centre in Naguru ⁹. Security Minister Jim Muhwezi said the central server is at the Uganda Police Force data centre and tracking data is kept for 90 days ⁷.

ITMS project manager Damir Makhmutov told MPs that where there are no cameras, vehicles are tracked over the UTel (MTN) network ⁷.

Contract and agreements

Daily Monitor reported that the contract with JSCGS was signed on 23 July 2021. JSCGS was to build, maintain and upgrade the system and hand over a working platform at the end ¹. Parliament of Uganda reported in 2023 that the company would run it for 10 years before handover ³.

Nile Post reported that the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the UPDF commercial arm, signed an MoU with JSCGS on 22 March 2019 and a Cooperation Agreement on 22 November 2023. NEC was promised 5 percent of fines and penalties ². Defence Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka said NEC "has never been effectively involved" and that this raises concerns of "material breach" ².

Kiwanuka said plate payments go to the contractor for cost recovery, and net fine revenue goes to the Consolidated Fund after cost recovery. He said this does not breach the Public Finance Management Act ².

Rollout and fees

Parliament of Uganda reported the fee schedule in August 2023: Shs714,000 for new vehicles and motorcycles, Shs150,000 for existing vehicles and Shs50,000 for existing motorcycles. Plates were then expected from 31 October 2023 ³.

URA said on 9 January 2025 that issuance of old plates would end on 31 January 2025 and that digital plates would be issued at the point of entry. URA said it does not collect plate fees ⁴.

Delays followed. Committee chair Mwine Mpaka said on 2 September 2026 that the company had cut issuance from 350 plates to 100 a day and that delays cost over Shs4 billion a week ⁵. The Ministry of Works and Transport later said the backlog was cleared after supplies were restored in August 2026 ⁶.

Parliament's inquiry and the Attorney General

The Committee on Physical Infrastructure began its inquiry in September 2026 ⁵. Daily Monitor reported on 13 October 2026 that former Works Minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala told it the rollout went ahead without a feasibility study ⁸. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire told it, "I engaged the police, they said no, it can't work" ⁸.

Attorney General Dr. Sam Mayanja told the committee on 6 October 2026 that the contract "from the onset contradicts many provisions of our existing law" and that no contract binds the State ¹. JSCGS representative Damir Makhmutov disputed the ministers' account. He said training has started and technology transfer begins in 2031 ¹.

The inquiry ended after hearing at least 19 stakeholders. MPs sought a meeting with President Museveni before tabling their report ¹⁰.

Police results

Police told the committee that 264 of 289 stolen vehicles reported in 2026 were recovered, a 91 percent rate. Only 124 of 480 stolen motorcycles were recovered ⁹. Police listed gaps including offline vehicles, weak field training and delays in 1,500 mobile enforcement devices ⁹.