New driving permits to beat forgery

By John Agaba

The works and transport ministry is issuing new driving permits with additional features to enhance security and guard against forgeries.

The new computerized permits have a security print UGANDA running across the card inside the laminate. When the card is tilted, the security print appears like it’s in a green color.

“We have introduced these additional features as a security enhancement tool to prevent fraud and beat forgeries,” explained Winston Katushabe who is the secretary of transport licensing board.

“People have been forging permits. Someone comes with a permit and when you place it in a card verification device it is fake; you check and the card bears no information about the bearer,” he said.

He, however, said that the introduction of the new driver-license cards didn’t mean that the older permits issued before October 17 were out of circulation or had turned invalid.

“They still work. But when they are expired and the owner comes for renewal, they will be issued these new cards. Those [older] ones will be punctured.”

He said new cards have other additional features which cannot be seen with a naked eye. One needs a card verification device to see them.

“So when you put the permit number into the device, you are able to get all the details about the owner, the class of the car they are licensed to drive, their picture – all information about them,” said Katushabe.

“But when the card is forged then nothing comes, or there comes information not tallying with the bearer of the card.”

The ministry is adding more security features on the cards “because when there are more security features it is hard for the card to be forged”.

All cards issued after October 17 must have the additional features.

“We really want to erase this habit of people going through go-betweens to get driving permits. People should access permits the right way after they have passed their driving tests, said the official.

 “And they should not pay money to anyone that they are going to get them permits. This is the reason we have fake permits and people who don’t know traffic rules on the road.”

Already, the transport licensing board stepped up measures to check against fake permits by giving police more card verification devices.