Kampala, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | The government is planning major reform that could eliminate the role of middlemen and car agents in Uganda’s motor vehicle registration process as officials move to curb delays, hidden charges and alleged exploitation of motorists.
The proposed changes emerged during a high-level meeting convened by Works and Transport Minister Edward Katumba Wamala involving vehicle dealers, clearing agents, officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and representatives of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS).
Officials said the government is increasingly concerned that some clearing and car agents have deliberately delayed registration processes after collecting money from clients, creating unnecessary frustration for motorists seeking digital number plates.
“We are here to make our system smooth and iron out any shortfalls,” Gen Katumba Wamala told stakeholders during the meeting. “As stakeholders, feel free to raise areas that need improvement for the new regime of motor vehicle registration and number plate issuance.”
Sources familiar with the discussions said the Ministry of Works and Transport is now considering a more direct and transparent system where motorists and car dealers can process applications themselves through the Motor Vehicle Registration portal without relying on intermediaries.
Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety Winstone Katushabe blamed a large share of the delays on agents who fail to complete registration procedures after receiving payment from clients.
“Out of the 77,410 cars that were released, 95% of these cars are worked on within eight hours. However, the blame is on clearing agents, who fail to complete required processes and deliberately delay their clients for financial gain,” Katushabe said.
He said some agents continue misleading clients by claiming there are no digital number plates available or that vehicles have not yet been scheduled for installation, even when they have failed to submit the applications properly.
Over 1,300 vehicles pending two months due to errors
According to figures presented during the meeting, more than 1,338 vehicles have remained pending for over two months due to errors made during documentation and processing by agents and clearing firms.
Officials said motorists are often charged unjustified fees while spending weeks and sometimes months waiting for registration and number plate installation.
Katushabe recommended wider use of the motor vehicle registration portal so vehicle owners can independently track applications and identify which agency is handling their requests.
The discussions come amid growing public concern over delays linked to Uganda’s digital number plate rollout under the ITMS project.
Joseph Tumwine of ITMS said the company has expanded operations at its Kyambogo production facility and now produces about 2,500 number plate kits daily using more than 300 Ugandan workers.
He said 84 percent of registrations are currently completed within 24 hours after payment, with the government targeting same-day installation for fully cleared vehicles by the end of the year.
“By the end of this year, a motor vehicle fully cleared for installation will be fitted with a number plate on the same day of application,” URA officials told the meeting.
ITMS officials said weekly installations now reach up to 7,500 vehicles across the country, supported by new fitment centres in Gulu and Fort Portal as well as operational centres in Malaba, Mutukula, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara and Arua.
Kampala currently operates with 26 stationary installation centres and several mobile units.
The planned reforms will spark debate within the vehicle clearing industry, where agents have traditionally played a central role in handling vehicle registration processes on behalf of clients.
However, government officials insist the reforms are necessary to improve efficiency, eliminate corruption and restore public confidence in the vehicle registration system.
