UCC orders telecom companies to re-connect unregistered SIM cards
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has ordered telecom companies to re-activate all unregistered SIM cards that were disconnected last week.
The UCC directive comes two days after President Yoweri Museveni said he agreed with the decision of the ruling National Resistance Movement Parliamentary caucus members that the deadline for SIM card registration deadline should be extended beyond May 19, 2017.
The Executive Director of UCC, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi told journalists in Kampala on Wednesday that all SIM cards that were disconnected on Friday should be re-connected.
“They should be switched back as soon as possible as per the directive from His Excellency the President. So, within a couple of hours from now, everybody should be back on air especially those who were disconnected on Friday,” he said.
He said all telecom companies have been notified.
President Museveni, on Monday ordered an extension of the exercise to August 30, 2017 after meeting the MPs at State House Entebbe.
Information, Communications and Telecommunications Minister Frank Tumwebaze had on Friday defied a resolution of Parliament to have the deadline extended by at least a year to give a chance to all Ugandans to register before the switch off.
Mr Mutabazi said the registration exercise would continue until August 30, 2017 and “this will be the last time to that extension is given”.
