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President Yoweri Museveni has extended Uganda’s SIM-card registration deadline from May 19 to August 2017.
“I chaired the NRM Caucus today where some Members of parliament (MPS) appealed for more time for SIM card registration despite the passing of the earlier deadline,” Museveni said on twitter.
“I’ve agreed to this proposal on condition that the new deadline will be respected. SIM card registration will therefore run until 30/8/2017,” he tweeted on @KagutaMuseveni, adding that “Ministry of ICT and other concerned govt agencies are authorized to allow this new window. I ask Ugandans to take this exercise seriously.”
The announcement Monday night came a day before ICT Minister Frank Tumwebaze was due to face a parliamentary committee over contempt for defying the House’s resolution last week that the SIM-card registration is pushed to next year.
Tumwebaze had Friday announced that government would adhere to the May 19 deadline. Telecoms that night switched off unregistered SIM-cards, leading to an outcry by the public, who say they were finding it hard getting Identification details from NIRA.
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TUMWEBAZE: Government notes Parliament concerns but #Simcard deadline of May 19 will stay. https://t.co/rqr0muiNJG pic.twitter.com/Vw9uQmkj53
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) May 18, 2017
VIDEO: Chris Obore explains why parliament has summoned Tumwebaze https://t.co/gZYXb24uve pic.twitter.com/y34pSth37d
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) May 22, 2017
Mr President that will work well when NIRA and other related bodies are gonna do their job well. Let them move service delivery to the people and let them perfect their IT skills to avoid many mistakes on national identity cards. Secondly they must remove expiry dates, this will happen automatically on the demise of a citizen, just like other EAC states.