Traffic police impound over 1,000 motorcycles with obscured number plates

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Over 1,000 motorcycles have been impounded for bearing obscured number plates in the ongoing operations by traffic police since last week.

Traffic police spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police -ASP Faridah Nampiima said that the ongoing operations against motorcyclists with obscured number plates are intended to curb acts of criminality.

“Since last week, we have so far impounded 1,393 and out of these, 624 were issued with Express penalty tickets, 289 riders were warned and left to go, 186 were taken to court and charged according to the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998, while 295 motorcycles are still pending action at different police stations,” Nampiima said.

According to police, most of the motorcycles impounded are backed up by Field Force Unit officers in areas of Kawempe, Nansana, Wandegeya, Nakawa, Natete, and Makindye areas.

Nampiima explained that the operations that started within Kampala Metropolitan will be rolled out to all parts of the country by next week to fish out all motorcycles with illegible number plates.

Allan Nshimiye Rugayampuzi, the Public Relations Officer of the Directorate said that the police ICT has confirmed that obscured number plates are most likely being used in crimes.

“Whenever we conduct investigations in committed crimes, it has been found out that motorcycles with obscured number plates are always used in such crimes by the criminals to avoid being traced by police,” Nshimiye said.

Police say the operations are continuing until the habit of obscuring number plates is stopped by riders on the roads. The crackdown on obscured number plates on boda-bodas follows a similar operation against vehicles without number plates on the roads.

Police warned last week that whoever is found with obscured number plates or any driver found without a clear explanation why their vehicle has no number will be arrested and charged, and they will either be fined or sentenced to one year in prison according to laws.

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