Ramathan Ggoobi, Secretary to Treasury
The Ministry of Finance has directed all Accounting Officers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to comply with the directive to replace the current number plates on their vehicles with the newly approved digital number plates.
The directive is contained in the 15th July 2024 Budget Execution Circular that was issued by Ramathan Ggoobi, Secretary to Treasury that is intended to guide Government entities on how to manage the 2024/25 where he reminded agencies that Government gazette the Traffic and Road Safety Regulations 2022 under Statutory Instrument NO.49 which mandates the registration of new number plates with enhanced and stronger security identification features, effective 1st July 2023.
“Accordingly, you are hereby reminded to ensure that all motor vehicles and motorcycles under your respective jurisdictions are issued the new enhanced number plates. Compliance with this directive is mandatory,” noted Ggoobi.
The directive comes at the time in November 2023, the Ministry of Works and Transport, alongside Ministry of Security embarked on the installation of digital number plates on all Government vehicle, before the same is unveiled to the public.
This followed the approval of digital number plates by Parliament, following Government’s argument that digital number plates would help improve security in Uganda as Government would be able to trace vehicles and motorcycles involved in criminal activities.
Once rolled out, new vehicle and motorcycle owners will be required to pay Shs714,000 for the digital number plates while already registered road users will be required to pay Shs150,000 for vehicles, and Shs50,000 for motorcycles.
During the consideration of the 2024/25 budget for Uganda Police Force, the Force was among the few entities that budgeted for the digital number plates, asking Parliament to provide Shs7.714Bn for the purchase of the new electronic number plates for the Force’s fleet. Police noted that each vehicle requires Shs750,000 to be registered and with Uganda Police boosting of a fleet of 10,245 vehicles, the Force would therefore require Shs7.714Bn.
