THIS WEEK: SIM cards can now be replaced, but only at a few centers

SIM cards can now be replaced, but only at a few centers

Kampala, Uganda |THE INDEPENDENT | Telecom companies have resumed replacement of SIM cards at selected outlets across the country.

This comes after several complaints about the hustle people go through to have their cards a thing that forced cabinet to issue directive to concerned government bodies – Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) to revise the process.

In the directive, Cabinet asked that 50 SIM card registration centers be established around the country with the necessary biometric card readers such that people’s details are easily and quickly verified.

In an April 18 announcement, Airtel Uganda announced that replacement for their cards will be done regionally whereby all cards in western Uganda will be replaced at the Mbarara Airtel Shop, Northern Uganda will go to Gulu whereas those in Eastern Uganda will go to Mbale.

MTN is almost using the same approach whereby western Uganda replacements will be done in Mbarara and Fort Portal, Northern Uganda will be at Gulu and Masindi and Eastern Uganda will be at the Jinja service center.

Companies had stopped replacing cards or registering new clients in March after a directive by the Uganda Communications Commission to halting the exercise until new guidelines are issued.

At the time the directive was issued, the country was in panic as wrong elements continued to use unregistered lines to commit crime mostly killing and kidnapping people.

Now, to replace a SIM card, a subscriber has to possess a national Identity card and a letter from police acknowledging loss of the previous one.