The High Court in Kampala has directed government to provide Legal Brains Trust with details of the agreement it signed with the Russian firm set to install digital tracking devices in all vehicles and motorcycles in the country.
Legal Brains Trust ran to court to challenge the deal between the Ugandan government and Russian company, Joint Stock Company Global Security to provide digital trackers to all vehicles in the country as a security measure.
In response, the Attorney General defended the deal saying its implementation doesn’t breach the right to privacy but only meant to trace vehicles and motorcycles used to commit crimes.
However, on Friday, the High Court wrote to the Attorney General asking him to produce for inspection of the Memorandum of Understanding between government and the Russian company.
“Take notice that the applicant requires you to produce for their inspection and copying the Memorandum of Understanding executed by the government of Uganda and the Russian Company called Joint Stock Company Global Security to carry out a feasibility study for an Intelligent Transport Monitoring System(ITMS) referred to in paragraph 8 of the affidavit in reply of by Hajji Yunus Kakande,” court said.
The court has also asked government to produce the agreement executed by government and the Russian company for the provision of a digital monitoring and tracking system for monitoring of vehicles and motorcycles in the country through a real-time control monitoring centre.
The Attorney General on behalf of government is also asked to produce the due diligence report and the technical and financial capacity assessment reports for the project to Legal Brains Trust for inspection.
The court also wants government to provide details of the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System referred to in the agreement as well as particulars of the gruesome and shocking crimes committed by criminals moving on motorcycles as relied on by the Attorney General as defence in the application.
The case
The Legal Brains Trust challenged the implementation of the installation of digital tracking devices in motorcycles and vehicles arguing that it is a breach of the right to privacy.
According to the applicants, the court must issue a temporary injunction restraining government and all its agents from enforcing the presidential directives, cabinet resolutions, agreements, contracts, statutory instruments and other documents in relation to the installation of digital tracking devices in vehicles and motorcycles in the country.
