The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
THIS WEEK: UCC asked to investigate unregistered SIM cards
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has been directed to investigate the existence of active SIM cards that are not properly registered.
This follows the kidnap and murder of Susan Magara granddaughter to former First Deputy Prime Minister Henry Muganwa where criminals used different unregistered cards to call her parents for ransom.
“All telecom operators are on notice, if they don’t switch off illegally acquired sim-cards they will be penalized and or have their licenses revoked.
Cabinet has taken this position and we will enforce it without exception,” said Minister of ICT and National Guidance Frank Tumwebaze in a tweet. He said he had directed UCC to commence investigations into how some alleged Airtel numbers were got with wrong or forged identities by suspected criminals.
But, by close of deadline on August 31, 2017, UCC and the office of the Prime Minister reported that 98% of the SIM cards had been successfully registered and were compliant.
Mutabazi said then that the 2% that was not registered by end of August was insignificant going by industry operations. Meanwhile, the only required document according to the law for one to register is a National Identity card.
