Works Ministry takes over registration of vehicles from URA

The Ministry of Works and Transport has taken over the registration and licensing of all vehicles in Uganda from the tax body, Uganda Revenue Authority with effect from today, November 3, 2021.

“Effective November 3, 2021, the mandate to register and license motor vehicles in Uganda will be a responsibility of the Ministry of Works and Transport. URA will remain responsible for motor vehicle customs clearance and first-time registration,” a notice by URA says.

A few years ago, the government decided to move the role of vehicle registration to the Ministry of Transport and Works which was previously being handled by the Uganda Revenue Authority.

This, according to the government will enable URA to concentrate on revenue collection.

In 2019, Winston Katushabe, the Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety in the Ministry of Works and Transport said the government is sent to register afresh all vehicles.

He noted that a new vehicle system is in the pipeline and will be integrated to the Uganda Revenue Authority, Police and ministry systems.

“The ministry will come up with a system to register all vehicles and also detect every vehicle entering the country,” Katushabe said.

“We shall be able to know how many vehicles are in the country.”

Consequently, the Ministry of Works and Transport requested for shs50 billion to be able to be able to establish a new motor vehicle registration system.

The new system will see the allocation of unique identification numbers to particular motor vehicles.

President Museveni in 2018 said as part of its efforts to reduce crime, the government will introduce electronic number plates for all vehicles and motorcycles.

Earlier this year, the president directed the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi to oversee the project.

He noted that a portion of the budget has been set aside to fund this cause.

“Every vehicle and motorcycle must have a centralized digital monitor. If you try to remove it, we shall go for you. It will show us where you are at any one time. As soon as there is a crime, we go. I don’t want any wasting time in investigations,” Museveni said.

According to the president, the digital monitors will not be used to abuse people’s privacy but noted they would become in handy in case of a crime that security will trace all vehicles and boda bodas who were in the vicinity of the crime scene.

“The digital monitor will show us where you are. We are not interested in your clandestine activities. As soon as there is a crime, we wouldn’t be wasting time to investigate,” he said.

The government also signed a 10-year agreement with Joint Stock Company Global Security, a Russian firm that will see the latter install tracking devices in all public and private vehicles and motorcycles in the country.

The intelligent transport monitoring system will also see tracking devices installed in water vessels on all the country’s water bodies.