By Charles Katabalwa and Francis Lubega

Two days to the deadline to cut of unregistered sim cards by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), a group of activists under their umbrella organization Rights Trumpet have dragged the Uganda Communications Commission to the High Court civil division seeking to halt the ongoing registration exercise of sim cards.

The activists through their lawyers led by Eron Kiiza argue that it is wrong and unfair for the telecommunication regulator to allow only 7 days for the entire country to have validated their information with UCC regarding their sim cards.

UCC last week gave a 7 day ultimatum to all subscribers to have registered their sim cards afresh using National Identification cards for all Uganda nationals, short of which they risked having their lines switched off permanently.

The lawyers also argue that foreign Ugandan embassies and High Commissions should have been empowered to conduct the verification exercise.

On the use of National IDs, the group says it is wrong to stop Ugandans from using passports but only their national IDs.

The group asked court to treat their case with urgency because only 2 days are left for the deadline by UCC to elapse.

At the same time the Nakaseke South Member of Parliament Semakula Lutamaguzi attacked government over its insensitivity to the matter opposing the ultimate of April 20th this Thursday to switch off un-registered sim card.

Lutamaguzi says government should extend the deadline arguing that many of Ugandans are stack especially those in villages where the networks are even poor.

The Opposition Democratic Party (DP) also registered their dismay to the orders of Uganda Communication Commission in relation to the sim card re-registration describing it as an action taken in bad faith because many Ugandans do not have National IDs.

In the DP’s weekly press conferences in Kampala, the party President Norbert Mao said that UCC’s directive would be extended to all other documents but not only on National IDs adding that they are ready to join the teams that have run to courts to seek for justice.


Wednesday 19th April 2017 08:17:55 AM