When Kahinda Otafiire’s letter advising Museveni on the Russian’s digital number plate project was hidden from the President
Like many big money contracts, this too has ended in a great corruption controversy.
The digital number plate project, a deal which was been given to a Russian company called Joint Stock Company Global Security, can best be described as intriguing.
It will go down as one of the greatest showcase of corruption this country has ever seen – and the cases are quite many. Just to be clear, the Russian firm was contracted to install tracking devices in motor vehicles and motorcycles in Uganda. It promised to make the devices here in Uganda.
Like many big money contracts, this too has ended in a great corruption controversy. The controversial deal has been under investigation by the Committee on Physical Infrastructure.
The investigation by the parliamentarians has since been stopped by the government and the Speak of Parliament Anita Annet Among communicated the decision to the members of the committee on Thursday, August 24th, 2023.
Since the probe commenced early this year, Security Minister Major Gen. Jim Muhwezi and his Works and Transport counterpart, Gen. Katumba Wamala appeared before the legislators probing the deal but it is Kahinda Otafiire that has made a preposterous and scary revolution that exposes the grave corruption associated with this deal.
The unwanted letter
While appearing in Parliament on August 22 2023, Kahinda Otafiire, the Minister for Internal Affairs, told Members of Parliament that a letter he had written to President Yoweri Museveni didn’t reach its destination after people he didn’t name hid it from the Head of the State.
In the letter, Otafiire was advising the President not to contract the Russian Company. To date, the jokey minister, according to his own submission before the floor of parliament, doubts whether the letter was ever been delivered because he never received a reply.
Kahinda said to the MPs: “I wrote that the Russian company can work with the current manufacturers of number plates in Uganda & explore the possibility of putting their chips on the number plates in Uganda.
Adding: “I intimated to him [Museveni] that it would be a bit insensitive for us to shut down a local manufacturer in favour of importation of number plates when we can do it here. I never received a reply, I doubt whether the President received that communication.”
He denied authorizing Joint Stock Company Global Security to use the Police CCTV cameras after MPs raised concerns that the company might be hacking into Uganda’s security system.
Otafiire denied knowing the Russian company, saying his Ministry & Police have never held talks with the Russian Company, despite being key stakeholders in Uganda’s security.
Unhappy with the costs of digital number plates
Otafiire expressed unhappiness at the increased costs of digital number plates from Shs150, 000 to Shs714, 300. He said neither the Police nor the Ministry of Internal Affairs had a hand in the pricing.
Otafiire said:
I am unhappy about the cost, but unfortunately, I am not the one who determines the cost. I have heard about the cost in the press, but nobody has brought it to my attention to address. So my role in that aspect is limited. Everything else is hearsay like you see it in the press; that is how I see it, that is the limit to our engagement.
I don’t know the Russians – Otafiire
While appearing before the Committee on Physical Infrastructure on Tuesday, 22 August 2023, Otafiire said he does not know Joint Stock Company Global Security. He was responding to a question from Jonathan Ebwalu (Indp., Soroti West Division MP) who wanted to know the relationship between the minister and the Russian company.
“How did this company from Russia come to Uganda? Who signed the contract with them? The minister said he does not know but he should be responsible,” Ebwalu said, questioningly.
Otafiire responded saying he would have taken responsibility if he had been a signatory on the contract which he insisted he knew nothing about.
Otafiire said: “This thing started in 2019; I am just a cog in the whole machine. I do not know who is doing what. What is disappointing is that the Police, who would have been the principal actors, were largely kept out.”
No digital number plate maker in Russia
Otafiire also intimated to the committee that he authorized a team to carry out due diligence on Joint Stock Company Global Security and its stations in Russia.
“The team brought back a report and informed me that there was no digital number plates manufacturing companies in Russia and that such a service is only being provided in Poland,” the minister revealed.
Asked by Maurice Kibalya (NRM, Bugabula County South MP) about his knowledge of the company setting up fitting centres at different bonds in the country, the minister said he was not aware of it.
“Are you aware that this Joint Stock Company is also phasing out local companies that have been manufacturing number plates?” Kibalya asked. Otafiire said the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) halted the decision to phase out local number plate-making companies in Uganda.
“The IGG is supposed to have halted the whole project. The IGG instructed the Ministry of Works not to halt the production of number plates,” he noted.
MPs blame ignorant Otafiire
Ebwalu faulted the minister for his lack of knowledge of the project being investigated by the Committee. “The ministry has got very many departments including Police, Prisons and Immigration. I cannot know every single detail in every department. I am a macro manager, not a micro-manager,” Otafiire responded.
The digital number plate project under the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System will be implemented in a phased manner and managed by Joint Stock Company Global Security for 10 years before it is handed over to the government.
New vehicle and motorcycle owners will pay Shs714, 000 for the digital number plates while already registered road users will be required to pay Shs150, 000 and Shs50, 000 for vehicles and motorcycles.
However, the Tororo District Woman Representative, Sarah Opendi has petitioned Parliament on the high cost of the new number plates expected to be rolled out on October 31 2023.
