No switching TV back to analogue- court
Court has overturned its earlier order, directing Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to immediately switch back to the old television signal transmission of analogue from digital signal transmission
Mengo Chief Magistrates Court has overturned its earlier orders, directing Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to immediately switch back to the old television signal transmission of analogue from digital signal transmission.
In her ruling on Tuesday, Ms Janeva Natukunda, the principle magistrate grade one said court did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by city lawyer Enoth Mugabi to order UCC to switch back to analogue.
“I find that court had no jurisdiction to entertain the application MA number 465/2015 and grant orders therein. I hereby exercise my powers under section 98 of CPA and set aside all orders granted in MA number 465/2015 on July 2, this year. I have already found that even the main suit cannot be heard by this court because it (court) has no jurisdiction to handle it," she said.
Consequently, the principle magistrate struck out the main suit that was pending to be heard.
Ms Natukunda’s orders come after UCC filed an application to vary the earlier orders and also set aside the main application.
On July 2, Mengo court Grade One Magistrate Moses Ntende Kagoda, issued an interim order directing UCC to immediately switch back to the old television signal transmission of analogue until the main application filed by Mr Mugabi is determined.
Mr Mugabi said he decided to go to court after he was aggrieved by UCC’s move to migrate from the old analogue way of signal transmission to digital and yet he freely enjoyed the old signal transmission unlike digital signal transmission that requires one to pay subscription.
However, UCC petitioned the same court challenging its earlier orders.
UCC acting director of broadcasting Fred Otunnu on Monday warned broadcasters against switching back to analogue, saying “they will be sanctioned.”
Under analogue broadcasting, TV stations carry their own signals but under digital migration, they relinquished the role to Signet, an affiliate body of the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation that does uniform transmission to a wider spectrum.
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