Don't delay electronic number plates, says President Museveni as he passes out Police Constables

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reiterated his confidence in the digital motor number plates project, saying it will be vital in fighting criminality in Uganda.

“I am now insisting on the electronic number plates," he said.

"Please, I want my number plates. Don’t delay my number plates. I don’t want these aimless number plates. I want intelligent number plates for the vehicles and for the cars."

Museveni made the comments on Wednesday while presiding over the passout ceremony of 2,717 newly trained Probational Police Constables, Special Police Constables and immigration officers at Kabalye Police Training School in Masindi district.

Of these, a total of 1,272 are Probational Police Constables (23rd intake), 1,388 Special Police Constables (integration course first intake), and 57 immigration officers.

They underwent rigorous training for 12 months, four months and two months, respectively.

Museveni noted that the electronic number plates will significantly close the criminality gap, especially terrorism, now that the force is using all the comprehensive means and assets at their disposal to tackle crime.

“You will see these terrorists who have been killing people from Congo. We are going to finish them. I have told them; we’re going to kill all of them. We have everything needed,” said the President.

He said the killers of tourists in the Queen Elizabeth National Park recently would have been captured more quickly by security.

“They came to trace using their eyes at the scene of crime. They could have brought a Police dog to follow. I rang people on ground some hours after and the dog followed the criminals for 15 kilometres. We got those people much later."

Museveni urged the new Police officers to use all the capabilities at their disposal such as the eyes, witnesses, cameras, Police dogs, telephones and forensics to get to the bottom of criminality.

The government officially launched the digital number plates on November 2, with the first phase targeting government-owned vehicles.

The ministries of transport and security are overseeing the project.

Through these two ministries, the government agreed to a 10-year deal with a Russian company to install digital tracking chips in all automobile number plates registered in Uganda, under the Intelligent Transport Management Systems (ITMS) programme.


Meanwhile, Museveni welcomed the new officers into the Force and thanked the Police leadership for rebuilding the Uganda Police Force to the current 53,000 personnel up from 3,000 personnel in 1986 after its reorganization.

He, however, said the number should be bigger to about 92,000 to match the international policing ratio of one policeman for every 500 people.

“When I come to these pass outs, I feel very happy when I see very many young people joining these forces, moreover when they are well educated. This makes training very easy, as educated people can learn faster,” said Museveni.

He told the new recruits to ensure discipline, ideology (patriotism) and to love themselves by not dying from AIDS and alcohol.

He called upon them to seek constant training to advance their knowledge within the Force.

“Otherwise, the future is very bright for you. I congratulate you and I wish you good luck. It is now my pleasure to use the powers given to me under the Constitution to pass you out,” declared the President.

'Hard work and discipline'

Internal affairs minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire described the event as an accountability to the voters in enhancing their security and urged the new Police officers to serve with dignity.

“Serve the country, don’t serve anybody else. Serve Uganda and make sure you make Uganda a better place to live.

"And I want you to pursue your careers with focus. All of you Police officers should aim at getting the Inspector General’s button. It is a result of hard work, discipline and commitment to the population,” said Otafiire.

He urged the immigration officers who have been undergoing induction to defend the country and he promised to address their litany of needs.

“You are our first-line of defence who choose who comes into Uganda and decides who leaves Uganda."

The minister decried what he termed as a pathetic housing situation for the three security agencies, attributing it to the bureaucratic methods of allocating resources by the finance ministry. He appealed to the President to intervene.

On his part, the Inspector General of Police, Martins Okoth Ochola, thanked the President for the financial support and guidance that enabled them to transform, instruct and nurture the new officers amid the current economic challenges.

“This is in addition to the several strings of emergency training of personnel to beef up the quality and strength of the force so as to enhance its capacity to confront the contemporary security challenges facing the nation."

The IGP informed Museveni that his force is in advanced stages of improving the welfare of its officers in line with his directive.

He said construction of the Police headquarters in Naguru in Kampala is ongoing and that they will soon commission the construction of a modern 300 bed Police hospital in Nsambya.

Ochola said they also hope to build 53,000 accommodation units.

CP Abdallah Sowedi, the Commandant of Kabalye Police Training School, said the new recruits have demonstrated their commitment to uphold the law and ensure the safety and security of the country and beyond.

“They have been equipped with vast knowledge and skills that will enable them to carry out their duties in line with the mandate of their respective departments, with emphasis on the professional conduct and strict adherence to the code of public officers as they serve the community," he said.

"They now know their core mandate of serving and always prioritizing the needs of the community."

Earlier on Wednesday, Museveni commissioned the Central Lecture Hall at the Police training school.