Vehicle registration plates of Uganda
Uganda requires its residents to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates.[1] A serial letter is shown in the right part of the plate. [2]
Uganda Government vehicles are written with red paint on a yellow/orange or white background. They all start with UG, followed by a number then a letter code to identify the ministry, department, or agency.
| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||||||
| Police |
Government vehicles are identified with the following codes:[3][4]
- B- Electoral Commission & Human Rights Commission
- C- Office of the President / State House of Uganda
- D- Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs
- E- Ministry of Education and Sports
- F- Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
- G-Ministry of Internal Affairs
- H- Parliament of Uganda/ Office of the Auditor General
- I- Ministry of Ministry of East African Community Affairs
- J- Ministry of Judiciary and Constitutional Affairs
- K- Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
- L- Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development
- M- Ministry of Health
- N- Ministry of Information and Communications Technology
- O- Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
- Q- Ministry of Public Service
- R- Ministry of Local Government
- S- Ministry of Water and Environment
- T- Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities
- U- Uganda Prisons Service
- W- Ministry of Works and Transport
- X- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Y- Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
- Z- Office of the Prime Minister
Previously, Uganda had three agencies responsible for handling issues of license plates and these were; Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) and the Military Licensing Board (MLB). However with effect from 1 July 2023 all vehicle registration functions were fully handed over to the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) from Uganda Revenue Authority a move that had been in the pipeline for three years.[5][6]
Transition to Digital number plates
[edit]Uganda faced security challenges such as the several high profile murders like that of Major Mohammed Kiggundu in November 2016, the Uganda Police spokesperson AIGP Felix Kaweesi in March 2017, Arua Municipality legislator Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga in June 2018, and that of former Buyende district Police Commander Muhamad Kirumira in September 2018 and the failed assassination of former army commander Gen. Katumba Wamala that claimed the life of his daughter in June 2021.[7][8][9] [10][11]All these murders seemed to have one common characteristic which was assailants following victims in their cars, shooting them and the move away with help of boda boda (motor bikes). This led to the birth of ideas of such as installing surveillance cameras in major towns and highways and also the use of digital number plates on all motor vehicles to ease tracking of criminals that had made it a habit to use vehicles to flee scenes of crime and ultimately combat crime.The ideas were majorly fronted by the President of Uganda Rtd. Gen. Yoweri Museveni who even re-echoed the same in his 2021 state of the nation address.[12][13][14]
Government of Uganda in 2021 signed an agreement with a Russian firm Joint Stock Global Security Company to deliver the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) to be used in the tracking of motor vehicles in Uganda[15][16] However the process that led to contracting the company was contested and even probed by the parliamentary committee on physical infrastructure and later to a classified Committee of the House[17][18] However the probe and findings did not hinder government from continuing with the plan and the digital number plates drive was successfully launched in November 2023 by Security Minister Rtd Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi and his Works and Transport counterpart Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala starting with the installations of the technology enhanced plates on government owned vehicles.[19][20]
References
[edit]- ^ "License Plates of Uganda". www.worldlicenseplates.com. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
- ^ "License Plates of Uganda". Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ^ Kizito, Francis (2018-10-04). "What do you know about Ugandan number plates? A quick guide". MBU. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
- ^ Joshua, Walakira (7 March 2019). "HOW TO TELL GOV'T CAR NUMBER PLATES – mulengeranews.com". Retrieved 2020-02-29.
- ^ "Ministry of Works to Fully Handle Motor Vehicle Registration – The Taxman". Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Works ministry to take over full control of vehicle registration". New Vision. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Matsiko, Haggai (2016-12-06). "ANALYSIS: Maj. Kiggundu's shooting". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Kaweesi killing: What we know, don't know". Monitor. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "MP Abiriga shot dead near his Matugga home". Monitor. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Muhammad Kirumira shot dead near his Bulenga home". Monitor. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "How Gen Katumba survived death". Monitor. 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Museveni: Don't Delay My Digital Numberplates". ChimpReports. 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Government slams brakes on digital number plates project again". Monitor. 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Ssebwaami, Javiira (2023-09-11). "Digital number plates project must go on as planned, says Museveni". Kikubo Lane. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Firm behind Uganda 'digital' car plates linked to Russian military". Monitor. 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Kalema, Stephen (2023-03-06). "Russian company contracted to manufacture digital car number plates in Uganda not registered". Watchdog Uganda. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "MPs probe digital number plates mess". Monitor. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Corporation, Uganda Broadcasting (2023-10-12). "Parliament Transfers Digital Number Plate Investigation to A Classified Committee - Uganda Broadcasting Corporation". Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "📷 New digital number plate system launched". New Vision. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Corporation, Uganda Broadcasting (2023-11-02). "Ministry of Transport Launches Campaign: Introducing Digital Number Plates in Uganda - Uganda Broadcasting Corporation". Retrieved 2024-11-08.