As public anger over Uganda’s Express Penalty System (EPS) reached a boiling point, new revelations show that the controversial Russian firm at the center of the deal, Joint Stock Company (JSC) Global Security, has been ordered to cancel all planned media appearances aimed at explaining its role in the scheme.
The gag order, issued by senior officials at the Ministry of Works and Transport, is reportedly intended to prevent the firm from responding to widespread allegations of fraud, exploitation, and secrecy.
Sources privy the dealings confirmed that the Russian company had initially planned a series of press interviews to address public concerns over its role in Uganda’s traffic enforcement system.
However, just as pressure mounted and a media campaign was being lined up, top Ministry officials over the weekend directed the firm to withdraw completely, reportedly telling them that they “owe no explanation to Ugandans.”
The move has sparked further outrage, as it appears to confirm what many Ugandans have suspected: that powerful individuals within the state apparatus are shielding the firm, even as its legitimacy, financial integrity, and conduct are being questioned by the public and Parliament alike.
“Move On”
The Russian firm complied with the order and has since notified media houses to stand down, telling them to “move on” from the story. This decision came on the heels of a 30-day government suspension of the EPS system due to widespread criticism from motorists, lawyers, and civil society groups.
Ugandans had been demanding that the firm’s top executives face the media to explain several pressing issues, including:
How a foreign private firm secured 80% of revenue from fines, leaving just 20% to government entities.
Why no infrastructure (such as cameras or signage) has been installed despite the contract’s high value.
How a company with no track record in national security and with a history of bankruptcy was granted a 10-year enforcement contract.
Why there was no competitive procurement process, and whether any actual investment has been made by the firm.
Instead of transparency, the public has been met with silence and now, a formal shutdown of dialogue.
Ownership
Official documents from Uganda’s Registrar of Companies reveal that JSC Global Security is a foreign-owned firm, with the following registration details:
Director: Shkarban Ivan (Russian)
Secretary: Bassngov Dmttri (Russian)
Ugandan Representative: Lubega Juma
The company is based in Kololo, an upscale suburb of Kampala. It was initially described by Internal Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire as a “fleet management” company, raising early concerns over its lack of experience in security and public enforcement systems.
A minority report from Parliament, authored by Rukiga County MP Hon. Roland Ndyomugenyi and eight others, further exposed major irregularities in the procurement and implementation of the deal. The MPs noted that the firm had:
Faced at least eight bankruptcy cases in Russia before winning the contract.
Signed the deal in July 2021, yet only registered in Uganda in March 2023, two years later.
Been awarded the contract without any technical or financial due diligence.
The MPs warned that the entire EPS framework is built on “unrealistic revenue targets”—a projected $996 million, with over half coming from fines alone. They called for the immediate cancellation of the contract, a value-for-money audit, and a fresh, transparent procurement process.
Public Fury
Motorists have shared harrowing stories of being fined under contradictory circumstances, with officers directing them to take actions that later earned them penalties. Others complained of receiving fines despite never having passed through the supposed enforcement zones. All this has played out while the Russian firm remains invisible, collecting fines with zero visibility and no public accountability.
Ugandans now question how such a firm—described as a “briefcase” company by legislators—could be entrusted with a project of this magnitude, and more alarmingly, why those in government are actively preventing it from speaking out.
Resume Collection
Despite being under pressure to answer tough questions, JSC Global Security has taken a low-profile posture, reportedly waiting for the 30-day suspension to end so it can quietly resume collecting penalties under the same disputed terms. Meanwhile, public frustration continues to build, with citizens demanding that the firm be expelled and the deal investigated.
If the silence persists and the status quo is reinstated, observers warn that the company will face a major crisis of credibility, having allowed foreign profiteers to operate with impunity at the expense of ordinary Ugandans.
As it stands, the Russian firm has been silenced, but the public is louder than ever—and the calls for truth, transparency, and accountability will not be gagged.
