Russia defends company Uganda hired into digital car number plates deal

By Charles Katabalwa

24^th March 2023

The Russian Government has refuted allegations that the Joint Stock Company Global Security contracted to manufacture and provide digital car number plates to Uganda is not fully registered both in Uganda and Russia.

This comes after the Members of Parliament on the committees of Internal Affairs and Physical Infrastructure on Wednesday discovered that the Russian Company contracted to manufacture and provide digital car number plates to Uganda is not registered.

This was after the two committees spent over three days looking through the contracts the government awarded to the Russian company and found that the firm has never been registered in Uganda as per the law, which forced them to summon the Attorney General and the Minister of Transport and Works to go and explain how it acquired such a mega deal.

While addressing editors of different media outlets in Uganda at the Uganda Media Center on Friday, the Ambassador of Russia to Uganda, Vladlen Semivolos said that the company has existed for a good number of years in Russia and currently in Uganda so the stated allegations are false.

He has disclosed that for the year they have worked with Uganda there is no way they can start faking companies collaborating with Uganda.

The government had earlier indicated that it would start with about 1,000 to 1,500 of its cars before opening it up to the rest of the public.

In a February 15 circular, Ggoobi who is also the Secretary to the Treasury, said the registration of new as well as replacement of all old government of Uganda number plates for vehicles and motorcycles will each cost Shs735,000 or USD200.

Uganda is estimated to have close to 2.4 million vehicles and more than 1.4 million motorcycles and if each of them is registered afresh, the government will rake in up to Shs2.8 trillion.

END