Bukoto Central legislator has blasted the government for pushing through the nose the number plate GPS tracker which is intended to cost billions of shillings to the tax payer, as well as individual motorists.
Engineer Richard Sebamala has pocked holes in the vehicle tracking project aimed at enhancing security and safety in the country at the back of criminality which has included assassinations for prominent people.
The MP said it should be noted that immediately after the State of the Nation Address, the Bukoto Central MP has been hitting hard against this project which has been awarded to the Russian firm, Joint-stock Global Systems under the project dubbed intelligent transport monitoring system.
While appearing on CBS radio and Kingdom Radio owned by Bishop David Kiganda and few other stations, Sebamala explained the illegality in the vehicle tracking instruction.
“It is an infringement on the privacy of people given under the article 27 section 4 of the constitution of Uganda,” Eng. Sebamala said, adding that the vehicle tracking instruction should be preceded by a proper legal framework.
Comparing the vehicle tracking policy of the United Kingdom, Sebamala said that the UK policy managed to embed five regulations;
1. The human rights act of 1998
2. The data protection act of 1998
3. The protection from harassment act 1997
4. Regulations of investigatory powers Act of 2000
5. General Data protection regulation (GDPR)
However, Sebamala, explains the system in Uganda is illegal and should be dropped immediately and follow the rightful procedure.
He advised that a committee of parliament should be created to benchmark this policy prior to implementation let alone the fact that the elite citizenry believes that the intentions of the government to track vehicles are beyond security and their safety. Sebamala said that at the heart of this project is human surveillance and he wondered why this sensitive matter should be hurriedly implemented.
Sebamala is in complete disagreement with the fact that tonnes of money will be dispensed to a foreign company yet our Ugandans can ably put this under implementation using our IT university departments and other experts. The government therefore is depriving Ugandans of jobs they can earn from, if this policy is implemented.
“In these hard times of Covid, it is not time for the country to dispense billions of money to foreign companies but rather to consolidate everything that can be saved. This looks like a lucrative deal for a few well-known government officials.
In the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Works minister, Gen Katumba Wamala, the President said in the state of the nation address that Uganda would be mandated to install the tracker at their number plate at their own expense.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
