The government has clarified that the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), which includes digital number plates and automated traffic monitoring, is a national security measure—not a tool for revenue collection through traffic fines.
Security Minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi made the remarks while addressing concerns over the Express Penalty System (EPS), a component of the ITMS that uses surveillance cameras to automatically fine motorists for traffic violations.
“The ITMS is about enhancing security, tracking movement, and preventing crime, not generating revenue. The focus on penalties has caused confusion,” Muhwezi told journalists.
In response to growing public concern, the Ministry of Works and Transport has suspended EPS enforcement until July 15 to allow for a review of the penalty structure.
The temporary suspension applies only to fines; the rollout of the broader ITMS infrastructure will continue uninterrupted.
The ITMS, jointly managed by the Ministry of Works and security agencies, incorporates digital number plates equipped with GPS tracking, Bluetooth beacons, and tamper-detection features. Any attempt to remove or disable the plates triggers an alert to a central command center.
Officials say the system is already proving effective. In a recent case in Mukono District, a stolen vehicle was successfully recovered using ITMS tracking data.
President Yoweri Museveni also weighed in during Thursday’s national budget address, defending the system’s purpose: “Removable number plates are ineffective against crime. We need digital solutions,” he said.
He stressed that the aim is to support law enforcement, not to fine citizens. “It’s not about fines,” Museveni said.
Authorities say further consultations are underway to ensure the system balances enforcement with fairness, and that updated penalty guidelines will be communicated before EPS enforcement resumes.