The Uganda Russia surveillance deal, announced on July 23, has triggered strong public backlash. The Ugandan government signed a 10-year contract with Moscow-based Joint Stock Company Global Security to install tracking systems on all vehicles, motorcycles, and boats across the country. Despite the contractor’s history of financial instability, Ugandan officials insist the project will continue without setbacks.
Government leaders justify the deal as a response to rising insecurity. Armed criminals frequently use boda-bodas—Uganda’s popular motorcycles—to carry out assassinations and escape without a trace. Over the past decade, these attacks have gone unsolved due to poor intelligence gathering. Criminals also target regular boda-boda riders, stealing motorcycles and often killing the victims.
As part of the deal, the government will re-register all transport units and equip them with digital GPS trackers. These devices will notify authorities if someone tampers with a registration plate or removes it entirely. Vehicle owners must pay UGX20,000 ($5) for the tracker and buy a new license plate. The government and the contractor will split the revenue generated from the process.
Critics believe this plan could expand state surveillance and erode privacy. Boda-bodas serve millions of Ugandans every day. Tracking their movements would give the state real-time access to people’s daily routines. Civil rights advocates argue that such monitoring could target political dissidents and suppress free expression.
Lynette Akankwatsa of the Centre for Legal Aid warns that GPS data can reveal political affiliations and private relationships. She points to Uganda’s 2021 elections, during which authorities used Huawei surveillance systems to track opposition activity and control protests. Despite extensive camera networks in Kampala, officials failed to produce footage when police or military personnel faced abuse allegations.
President Museveni continues to push for high-tech crime-fighting measures. He has promoted drones, facial recognition, gun fingerprinting, and even banned hoodies for riders. Still, crime rates remain high, and many believe these tools serve political interests more than public safety. The Uganda Russia surveillance deal appears to follow the same pattern.
The contractor’s background further complicates the issue. Joint Stock Company Global Security faces multiple lawsuits in Russia, totaling more than $900,000. Plaintiffs include Rus Prom-Technologies and Russia’s national pension fund. Courts are still reviewing these cases. The company doesn’t manufacture equipment; it acts as a broker. It also has no published contact details or public statements on the Uganda deal.
Ugandan officials offered no clear reason for choosing this troubled firm. Their silence has fueled criticism of the country’s weak procurement standards. Past scandals show similar failures. In 1997, Uganda bought non-functional helicopters from Belarus. President Museveni’s brother, General Salim Saleh, admitted his role, refunded the funds, and faced no punishment. He now manages major government programs.
Security Minister Jim Muhwezi, who oversees the current deal, has faced past censure for abuse of office, unexplained wealth, and mismanagement. His involvement only deepens public mistrust of the project’s intentions.
The Uganda Russia surveillance deal has become a symbol of growing government control. Citizens and legal experts have begun challenging the deal in court, hoping to stop what they see as a threat to civil liberties. With the tracking system not yet active, there is still time to push back.
Ugandans now face a choice: accept increased surveillance or demand greater transparency and accountability. If no action follows, the government could quietly expand its monitoring reach, reducing the space for dissent and privacy in everyday life.
