UPDF Suspends Driver Seen in Viral Pictures Swapping Vehicle Number Plates

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) have suspended their driver seen in pictures widely shared on social media while changing number plates of a vehicle to those of the Ministry of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs.

The driver was last week seen along Entebbe Road in the viral pictures as he changed the number plate of a Private Vehicle Toyota Land cruiser, Reg No. UAQ 267L to Defence number plate UG 0219D.

According to Brig Gen Flavia Byekwaso, the Defence spokesperson, the driver whose names are withheld is attached to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and the car also belongs to CMI.

Byekwaso told media that the driver was given a task to go to Arua, but out of fear of being stopped along the road, he decided to swap the number plate of the vehicle with that of the Ministry of Defence.

“The vehicle that was seen swapping number plates on social media belongs to the UPDF. The driver decided to swap the number plates to avoid being stopped on the road because he was rushing to Arua,” Byekwaso said.

Uganda is currently under a strict lockdown to contain the spread of covid-19. Private vehicles were banned from inter-district travel.