The cost of number plates is set to increase after Court of Appeal approved the Government of Uganda to implement security vehicle tracking system.

According to H.W Oscar John Kihika, the Justice for Court of Appeal, starting on July 1, 2023, Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) will permit the government to track all Ugandan registered motor vehicles at all times, and this will increase the cost of a digital number plate from Shs 135,000 to Shs 735,000.

The Court’s approval seeks to grant the government a legal right of inserting a digital tracking devise on each number plate of every motor vehicle, motorcycle and other vessels in Uganda with an aim of cracking down criminality.

The Court ruling of dismissing the case follows government filing a defence stating that Uganda has witnessed a number of gruesome crimes by criminals using vehicles and motorcycles.

“THAT I know that in the past and present, Uganda has witnessed a series of a shocking and gruesome crimes committed by criminals moving by motor vehicles and motorcycles,” the filed defence read in part.

Justice Kihika who presided over the ruling on Monday, June 26, 2023, dismissed the application which was fronted by Legal Brains Trust (LBT) limited, demanding to halt the implementation of the new compulsory digital car tracking policy.

The respondent’s defence noted that, the Ministry of Works already issued new registration number plates that provide for an inbuilt sensor embedded in a registration plate to be synchronized with an electronic device to be installed in the vehicle.

During his Court ruling, Justice Kihika said that, on July 28, 2021, Legal Brains Trust petitioned Court of Appeal seeking that the declaration of government’s execution of compulsory digital surveillance of all motor vehicles, violate fundamental rights.

However, LBT has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court.

On March 22, 2019, the Government of Uganda and Joint Stock Company Global Security, a Russian company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to carry out a feasibility study for an Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS). This was stamped by President Museveni in 2018 as a security measure to fight rampant criminality associated with cars and vessels in Uganda. The exercise will commence with government vehicles.