Digital number plates Uganda are part of a national crime-fighting strategy—not a mechanism to collect traffic fines. President Yoweri Museveni made this clear during his remarks at the national budget reading held on Thursday at Kololo Independence Grounds.
He addressed rising public concern following the rollout of the express penalty scheme using CCTV cameras. Many Ugandans believed the government had introduced digital number plates to impose automatic traffic fines. Museveni, however, refuted this perception, emphasizing that the system is rooted in national security priorities.
“I saw some issues about the digital number plates, that people are being fined. I don’t know for what, but the issue about the number plates is not about fines. It’s anti-crime,” he said.
The President highlighted that these digital number plates Uganda are not linked to revenue generation but are integrated with a central command system that helps security agencies trace vehicles. He pointed to the recent killing of Godfrey Wayengera, a 45-year-old Mukono resident, as a tragic example of the ongoing threats that these smart systems are meant to help curb.
Museveni stressed the importance of a technical approach to national safety. “Let’s go technical. Let’s have smart means. They have helped us solve a number of things. These are digitized number plates with a central command—not collecting fines,” he said.
He acknowledged that public confusion might have arisen because the government lacked initial funding and allowed implementers to recover costs. However, he firmly reiterated that security—not revenue—is the goal. “Every vehicle must have a digital number plate traced by a central command. The issue is not about money. No. It’s about security.”
The President reminded Ugandans that the plan started back in 2018, following high-profile assassinations of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, Joan Kagezi, Col. Ibrahim Abiriga, Muhammad Kirumira, and Maj. Muhammad Kiggundu. That year, he presented a 10-point strategy to Parliament to address violent crimes.
As part of the plan, he proposed electronic number plates with built-in signals for both cars and motorcycles. These would allow authorities to trace any vehicle or pikipiki at the scene of a crime. The system would integrate with Police surveillance networks and CCTV footage, enabling fast identification and response.
Additionally, Museveni proposed new helmets with illuminated registration numbers on the front and back. These helmets would also be logged into a centralized system to help track riders and reduce criminal misuse.
According to the ongoing project, all vehicles and motorcycles will be required to use digital number plates embedded with a tracking chip. This chip allows authorities to quickly determine the presence of a specific vehicle at a particular location during a crime.
The President concluded by urging continued public support for these high-tech measures. He warned against focusing on fines and encouraged Ugandans to view the system through a national security lens. With CCTV cameras and digital number plates Uganda fully operational, law enforcement can better trace suspects and prevent future attacks.
READ: Museveni Clarifies Digital Number Plates Are for Security