Motor vehicle dealers have raised concerns over alleged corruption in Uganda's digital number plate system, claiming motorists are being asked to pay extra money to have their plates processed ahead of others.
The Associated Motor Vehicle Dealers say applicants who pay the official fee of about Shs714,300 can still wait weeks or months for their plates, while those willing to pay additional money can have their applications expedited.
According to the association's publicity secretary, Marvin Ayebare, the extra payments range from Shs500,000 to as much as Shs3 million, depending on how quickly a motorist wants to receive the number plate.
"The practice was particularly pronounced between May and July, with some of us paying as much as three million shillings to have plates released," Ayebare says.
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The dealers argue that this has created a system where the highest bidder gets priority, disadvantaging motorists who follow the official process.
Ayebare says dealers are now calling for an investigation into the alleged payments, urging the government to obtain payment records from service providers and establish how some applicants are able to receive plates immediately while others remain on the waiting list.
Members of Parliament have also called for individuals involved in soliciting bribes to be identified and investigated.
They have urged car dealers and other people with information on the alleged corruption to provide names to investigative agencies, with assurances that their identities can be protected.
The dealers want Parliament and investigative agencies to scrutinise the fitting centres and the process through which number plates are allocated, arguing that greater transparency is needed to restore public confidence in the digital number plate system.
