Ugandan Investor Criticizes $30M Plan to Import Tracking Software, Calls for Local Development
KAMPALA — A Ugandan investor and contractor has sharply criticized the government’s reported plan to spend $30 million importing tracking software from abroad, arguing that local institutions like Makerere University possess the expertise to develop the technology domestically.
In an opinion piece published Wednesday, Ben Misagga expressed frustration that Uganda would seek foreign solutions despite having trained IT professionals for over three decades through Makerere University’s College of Computing and Information Sciences (COCIS).
“It is astounding that with all the information technology we have done at Makerere for more than 30 years, with all the PhDs at COCIS, we cannot design a simple tracking software?” Misagga wrote.
Call for Local Solutions
Misagga argued that the $30 million should instead be invested in Ugandan institutions and companies, specifically naming the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the Wazalendo SACCO, and the Uganda Police Force as potential beneficiaries. He suggested these organizations could develop and operate a tracking command center at Naguru to monitor stolen vehicles, motorcycles, and firearms.
He also called on Dr. Monica Musenero, the former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, to take ownership of the project and ensure it remains on Ugandan soil. Misagga further proposed that Eng. Dr. Kiwanuka, a veteran engineer, could develop the software within 30 days if given proper support.
Regional Comparisons
The author pointed to other African nations that have developed similar technologies locally, citing Rwanda’s Zipline drone tracking system and South Africa’s Tracker, Cartrack, and Mix Telematics companies, which he noted now export tracking software globally—including to Uganda.
“South Africa woke up recently, said we will not import,” Misagga wrote. “They built Tracker, Cartrack, Mix Telematics. Now South Africa manufactures and develops its own tracking software and sells it to the whole world, including to us.”
He also referenced Latvia and Estonia, small European nations that developed globally used technologies like Skype and Bolt, arguing that population size and natural resources are not prerequisites for technological innovation.
Public Reaction
The opinion piece generated significant engagement, with readers largely echoing Misagga’s concerns. Commenters pointed to systemic corruption as a primary obstacle to local innovation.
“IT solutions have been killed simply because someone is looking at earning a few extra bucks,” wrote one commenter identified as Bwire Patrick.
Another commenter, O, claimed to have already developed a tracking system as part of a fleet management solution but lacked opportunities to showcase it. “We have built our tracking system… simply because not being given a chance to Ugandans to showcase the capabilities,” he wrote.
David noted that local manufacturers of vehicle number plates were previously closed despite having capacity, suggesting that foreign companies receive preferential treatment due to kickback arrangements.
Broader Concerns
The discussion reflects ongoing concerns about Uganda’s technology procurement practices and the government’s reliance on foreign contractors for projects that critics argue could be developed locally at lower cost.
Misagga concluded his piece by warning that continued reliance on imported solutions would perpetuate a cycle of dependency.
“Anything short, 10 years from now, we will still be importing software to track our own cows,” he wrote. “It would be a shame to the Hill. It is a shame to the nation.”
The author is an investor, contractor, and football enthusiast.
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