By Guest Writer
Prominent political mobiliser and advocate of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), Asiimwe Kenneth, has defended Security Minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Jim K. Muhwezi, calling for an impartial examination of the controversial digital number plates project and warning against the dangers of allowing political speculation to overshadow documented facts.
By Guest Writer
Prominent political mobiliser and Supreme Coordinator of SEVOLUTION Cross Sector Integrated Foundation of East Africa (SCIFEA), Asiimwe Kenneth, has mounted a spirited defence of Security Minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Jim K. Muhwezi, cautioning against attempts to turn the ongoing controversy surrounding Uganda’s digital number plates project into a platform for political confrontation and premature judgment.
In a strongly worded statement issued on 17 October 2026, Asiimwe urged political leaders, investigative institutions, media practitioners and the public to examine the project’s history before drawing conclusions about the responsibilities of individual government officials.
He warned that allowing unverified claims and misleading interpretations to circulate without challenge could cause lasting reputational damage, even where subsequent investigations establish a different account of events.
“We must never underestimate the danger of allowing falsehoods and misleading narratives to circulate unchallenged. When responsible voices remain silent for too long, speculation gradually assumes the appearance of truth, and by the time the facts are presented, reputations may already have suffered irreparable damage. That is why we have chosen to speak now, not to interfere with investigations, but to ensure that facts are not buried beneath political speculation,” Asiimwe stated.
The SEVOLUTION boss explained that his intervention was consistent with the Foundation’s commitment to promoting patriotism, responsible citizenship, institutional accountability and the preservation of Uganda’s national development and leadership legacy.
He emphasised that protecting the integrity of public institutions also required ensuring that officials entrusted with implementing government programmes were assessed fairly and in accordance with their actual responsibilities.
Asiimwe began by expressing appreciation to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his strategic foresight in championing technological innovations aimed at strengthening Uganda’s national security infrastructure.
He observed that the digital number plates initiative originated from legitimate security concerns, including violent crime, vehicle theft and the need to improve criminal investigations through modern vehicle identification and monitoring technologies.
According to Asiimwe, the President’s security modernisation agenda should not be confused with the contractual, administrative and financial questions currently under parliamentary scrutiny.
Turning to Gen. Muhwezi’s involvement, Asiimwe challenged the impression that the Security Minister personally initiated the project, pointing to its development several years before his appointment to the security docket.
Citing Muhwezi’s statement to Parliament on 5 August 2021, he noted that due diligence concerning the proposed contractor was reportedly undertaken in December 2018, while a memorandum of understanding was signed on 19 March 2019 during the tenure of former Security Minister Gen. Elly Tumwine.
He further referred to a reported presidential directive dated 13 June 2021 instructing Muhwezi to expedite the conclusion of the agreement with the Russian company associated with the project.
Asiimwe argued that these developments were important to understanding the institutional circumstances under which Muhwezi subsequently participated in the project’s implementation.
He also highlighted contemporary reports indicating that the July 2021 agreement was executed by the responsible Permanent Secretaries, with Muhwezi witnessing its signing in his ministerial capacity.
According to the SEVOLUTION leader, the distinction between ministerial oversight, contractual execution and procurement responsibility must be carefully considered when determining individual accountability.
He nevertheless acknowledged that Muhwezi’s responsibilities in expediting and overseeing implementation remained legitimate matters for examination.
Asiimwe also drew attention to the legal advice reportedly provided by the Office of the Attorney General during the conclusion of the agreement.
He noted that Article 119 of Uganda’s Constitution establishes the Attorney General as the principal legal adviser to the Government, making the legal opinions issued during the contracting process relevant to any comprehensive investigation.
He argued that subsequent legal objections should be examined alongside the original advice, the contractual documents and the responsibilities of the institutions involved.
“Our position should never be misunderstood as an unconditional endorsement of the contract or an attempt to discourage investigations. We are defending the principle that responsibility must be established through evidence, not presumed through political association. If irregularities occurred, the law must take its course, but no individual should be condemned merely because their name appears in a public controversy,” Asiimwe emphasised.
His intervention comes amid heightened parliamentary scrutiny of the digital number plates project.
On 15 October 2026, Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure directed the Auditor General to undertake an urgent preliminary audit of the project following concerns over its contractual arrangements, operations, ownership and financial implications.
Asiimwe welcomed the parliamentary intervention, describing independent institutional oversight as essential to strengthening transparency and public confidence.
He urged investigators to examine the entire history of the project, including its conception, due diligence, procurement processes, presidential correspondence, legal opinions, contractual approvals and the respective responsibilities of participating government institutions.
He maintained that investigations should establish not merely who participated in the project, but precisely which decisions were taken by each official, the authority under which those decisions were made and whether the applicable laws were observed.
The SEVOLUTION boss also referred to the project’s reported operational achievements.
During parliamentary proceedings on 30 September 2026, Uganda Police representatives reported that 337 out of 375 stolen motor vehicles in the category presented to the committee had been recovered, representing approximately 90 percent.
Asiimwe said the figures deserved consideration when assessing the project’s operational purpose, while acknowledging that reported security benefits could not substitute for scrutiny of procurement compliance and financial accountability.
He further recognised Gen. Muhwezi’s longstanding contribution to Uganda’s liberation struggle, national security administration, Parliament and Cabinet, arguing that his public service deserved acknowledgement without exempting him from lawful oversight.
Turning to the political debate, Asiimwe warned against the temptation to use ongoing investigations to advance personal rivalries or undermine the reputations of public officials without sufficient evidence.
“Political visibility is not a substitute for legal understanding. Online popularity is not documentary evidence. And personal disagreement with a public official does not establish administrative misconduct,” he declared.
He urged political actors, bloggers and commentators to exercise restraint, emphasising that legitimate criticism of government programmes must be distinguished from unsupported allegations and premature conclusions.
The SEVOLUTION boss also challenged media practitioners to uphold professional standards when reporting on matters involving public officials and ongoing investigations.
“To Parliament and the investigative institutions, we appeal for thoroughness, independence and impartiality. To political leaders, we appeal for maturity and restraint. To bloggers and commentators, we appeal for intellectual honesty and factual responsibility. To the media, we appeal for accuracy, balance and fairness,” Asiimwe stated.
Reaffirming his appreciation for President Museveni’s commitment to strengthening Uganda’s security institutions, Asiimwe said technological modernisation must be accompanied by lawful procurement, responsible financial management and effective institutional oversight.
He insisted that Gen. Muhwezi’s role should be evaluated against the responsibilities he actually exercised, the instructions he received and the legal and administrative framework under which he operated.
Asiimwe maintained that Uganda’s national interest would be better served by an investigation that establishes the complete truth than by a public debate that identifies individuals to blame before examining the evidence.
He argued that the country’s institutions must remain strong enough to investigate wrongdoing, courageous enough to establish responsibility and fair enough to protect individuals against whom wrongdoing has not been established.
“Accountability must be comprehensive, not selective. Public scrutiny must be principled, not vindictive. And justice must remain guided by evidence, not political convenience,” he concluded. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
