Kampala, Uganda: The Ministry of Works and Transport has dismissed as false and misleading reports circulating on social media alleging that the Government has suspended the registration and issuance of digital number plates under the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS).
In a public notice issued on Saturday, July 5, the Ministry Spokesperson, Ms Susan Kataike, clarified that registration services remain fully operational and urged the public to disregard misinformation circulating on platforms including TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).
“The registration and issuance of digital number plates have not been suspended. The programme remains in effect, and all registration services continue to operate in accordance with the established procedures,” the notice reads.
The statement follows days of speculation online after motorists, vehicle dealers and transport operators raised concerns over persistent shortages and delays in the issuance of digital number plates, prompting some social media users to claim the programme had been halted altogether.
The Ministry urged members of the public to rely only on official government communication and warned against creating, sharing or amplifying unverified information that could cause unnecessary confusion and inconvenience.
“Members of the public are urged to disregard the false claims and rely only on official communication issued through the Ministry of Works and Transport.”
The clarification comes at a time when Uganda’s digital number plate programme has faced growing scrutiny over implementation challenges.
Over the past several weeks, vehicle importers, car dealers, boda boda operators and e-mobility companies have complained of prolonged delays in obtaining digital number plates, leaving thousands of newly imported vehicles and motorcycles stranded in bonded warehouses despite owners having completed registration and payment.
Industry players have attributed the delays to shortages of key components required for the production of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) plates.
Last week, traders marched to the Ministry of Works and Transport demanding government intervention, arguing that the delays were disrupting businesses, increasing storage costs, and denying many Ugandans employment opportunities.
Works and Transport Minister Hon Fred Byamukama acknowledged the implementation bottlenecks and pledged to engage the contractor to restore the normal supply of the digital plates.
Uganda introduced the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System to modernise vehicle registration and strengthen national security by enabling authorities to identify and track vehicles involved in criminal activities.
The project, implemented by Russian firm Joint Stock Company Global Security under a government concession, requires every newly registered vehicle and motorcycle to be fitted with a digital number plate embedded with electronic tracking technology before it can legally operate on Ugandan roads.
While the programme has attracted criticism from some rights groups over privacy concerns and implementation delays, government has consistently maintained that the system is critical for combating crime, improving traffic management, and enhancing road safety.
The Ministry says the digital number plate exercise remains in force, and registration services will continue as the government works to address supply chain challenges affecting the rollout.
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