Kampala, Uganda — A concerned Ugandan citizen has petitioned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament, the Inspector General of Government (IGG), and other anti-corruption agencies over what they describe as “rampant fraud and corruption” in the production and issuance of digital number plates.
In a strongly worded letter, the whistleblower accuses private operators and individuals within the system of extorting applicants by demanding illegal payments far above official government fees. The alleged scheme has left many vehicle owners frustrated, financially strained, and facing long delays in acquiring the mandatory digital number plates.
According to the petition, while the official government fee for standard number plates is UGX 150,000, applicants are being coerced into paying an additional UGX 550,000 as a ‘facilitation fee’ to have their plates processed within three days. This extra money is reportedly unreceipted, untraceable, and entirely outside legally recognized payment channels.
Citizens who refuse to pay the illicit fees are said to face delays of up to six months, despite having completed all legitimate requirements.
The petition further highlights similar irregularities in the registration of new vehicles. Although the official registration fee stands at UGX 700,000, applicants are often forced to pay as much as UGX 1.2 million—with UGX 500,000 allegedly pocketed illegally by individuals involved in the process.
The petitioner warns that the pattern of extortion appears “systematic and entrenched,” suggesting a coordinated network within the issuing facility that is bypassing government oversight and enriching private actors at the expense of taxpayers.
“These practices undermine the integrity of Uganda’s public service and contradict national anti-corruption policies,” the letter reads. “Law-abiding citizens who pay official fees are unfairly penalized, while those who pay illegal charges are given priority.”
The citizen is calling on the President, Parliament, and the IGG to urgently investigate the digital number plate issuance system and enforce transparency and accountability in all fee collections and stamp out illegal facilitation fees