KAMPALA: City Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi has dragged the Ugandan government to court over its move to install tracking devices on all public and private vehicles and motorcycles in the country.
Government last week on Friday signed a 10-year agreement with Joint Stock Company Global Security, a Russian company to implement the Cabinet decision of installing digital trackers in all vehicles, motorcycles, and boats through the intelligent transport monitoring system to bolster the security of the country according to government.
Mabirizi in his lawsuit and petition filed on Monday to the civil division of the High Court says the entire process is illegal and an invasion of privacy of Ugandans, which contradicts various provisions of the Constitution.
“I know that cabinet acted outside its mandate to tamper with Ugandans’ right to privacy without an Act of Parliament from which we can be able to ascertain whether the limitations are demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society,” he said.
The lawyer also says it is illegal and improper for cabinet to select a service provider for the project of installing digital tracking devices in all vehicles and motorcycles without going through the required procurement processes as laid down under Ugandan laws.
Mabirizi has therefore asked the high court to nullify the arrangement on grounds that “Cabinet has no powers to restrict Ugandans’ right to privacy without an Act of Parliament”
“The applicant is seeking for a declaration that the cabinet decision that effective July 2021, every motor vehicle and motorcycle shall be fitted with tracking devices at the owners’ cost,” the court documents says.
As such, Mabirizi asked the court to issue an order reversing the Cabinet decision to the effect that effective July 2021, every motor vehicle and motorcycle shall be fitted with tracking devices at the owners’ cost.
“This court should issue a permanent injunction restraining any Uganda government official from implementing or acting on the strengths of the Cabinet decision that effective July 2021, every motor vehicle and motorcycle shall be fitted with tracking devices at the owners’ cost.”
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