Members of Parliament on the Committee on Physical Infrastructure have confirmed that the national Digital Number Plate System is fully operational and effectively tracking vehicles, shifting their scrutiny toward implementation costs and production efficiency.
The validation followed an on-site inspection at the Police Command Centre in Naguru on Friday, October 2, led by Committee Chairperson, Mr Mwine Mpaka. The visit was arranged after legislators raised questions regarding whether the security and tracking functions of the project were delivering their intended results.
Concerns had surfaced on September 28 during parliamentary hearings, prompting the committee to demand practical proof beyond administrative reports. Two days later, Senior Command officials presented operational metrics to the committee, with Police Director of ICT, AIGP Felix Baryamwisaki, testifying that law enforcement had successfully tracked and recovered 337 out of 375 reported stolen motor vehicles-a 90 percent recovery rate.
To independently verify these figures, committee members visited the Naguru facility to test the system using their own vehicle registration plates rather than relying on pre-packaged demonstrations.
‘Yes, indeed, we have established that cars and motorbikes can be tracked. The issue of digital number plates is clearly important. We just need to see how we can improve the system,’ Mr Mpaka stated following the demonstration.
During the inspection, lawmakers observed live vehicle identification procedures, data processing workflows, and tactical integration with police field operations. Addressing previous privacy and data sovereignty concerns raised during hearings, UPDF Representative in Parliament and Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding, confirmed that the system’s data management infrastructure is strictly housed within national borders.
‘One thing for sure is, the whole country needs the digital number plate system. As a Committee, we are looking at the cost and the capacity of the contractor. Other than that, no one is against the project,’ Mr Mpaka noted.
The Naguru visit followed a prior parliamentary inspection of the central digital number plate manufacturing plant. During that tour, MPs inspected manufacturing lines, raw material stocks, and installation workflows.
Factory management confirmed that the plant operates at a daily output of 2,500 number plate kits (50,000 per month), which has effectively cleared previous issuance backlogs. The facility employs over 300 Ugandan workers directly and supports an estimated 900 auxiliary jobs, achieving an 80 percent localization rate as East Africa’s first full-cycle plate manufacturing facility.
While Parliament acknowledged significant performance improvements in vehicle tracking and plate fitment turnarounds, the committee indicated that its upcoming report will focus on optimizing institutional coordination, refining police administrative protocols, and lowering costs for motorists.