Govt suspends probe into digital number plates
The planned new digital number plate(s). PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The contract was awarded to a Russian company, Joint Stock Company Global Security, in 2019, to install digital number plates on vehicles aimed at improving security in the country.
Government has directed the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure to halt any further investigations on the digital surveillance car number plates saga, whose planned roll out was scheduled for later this year.
A section of MPs on the committee revealed the information to the Monitor following a closed-door meeting to discuss the matter that the Security minister, Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, asked the committee to give him time so that he can internalise issues raised in a petition filed by Kampala City Traders Association (Kacita).
“We have just been in a meeting and I have been told by the chairperson that the Minister of Security requested that he be given time to look into the issues of Kacita to see whether he can handle and internalise them,” Mr Ronald Balimwezo (Nakawa Division East-NUP) said.
Kacita in July petitioned Parliament to investigate and address the unresolved inconsistencies in the project, including among other things failure to set up installation centres, setting up a local factory to manufacture the digital number plates, and embarking on a countrywide sensitisation exercise on the plates.
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The plea from the security minister came at a time when the legislators were scheduled to conduct further field visits yesterday.
“We have kind of been stopped,” Mr Balimwezo said.
On who issued the directive stopping them from proceeding with the probe, Mr Richard Sebamala (Bukoto County Central-DP) said the instructions came from the deputy Speaker, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, following a request by Mr Muhwezi.
“That he is given time to come and explain [and respond to the] issues that Gen [Kahinda] Otafiire raised,” Mr Sebamala said.
“Anyone can petition the Speaker on anything and at the end, the Committee follows their guidance,” Mr Sebamala added.
The Internal Affairs minister, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, raised red flags before the Committee on Tuesday over the digital number plate’s project.
The contract was awarded to a Russian company, Joint Stock Company Global Security, in 2019, to install digital number plates on vehicles aimed at improving security in the country.
Gen Otafiire informed the Committee that he wrote to the President over the matter warning him not to sideline the current manufacturer of number plates, in preference of a foreign company, but did not receive a response.
But Mr Kenneth Omona, the Principal Private Secretary to President Museveni, denied the allegations on Wednesday that the State House hid the letter away from the President.
