The Minister of ICT and Nationwide Steering, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, has mentioned that telecommunication firms might be investigated, with a view of placing heavy sanctions over the continued use of unregistered cell phone sim playing cards.
In 2013, Uganda Communications Fee (UCC) was mandated to make sure mass registration of sim playing cards, with a view of curbing crime.
“I’ve engaged the telecommunication firms they usually hold giving assurance that it is just authorised numbers which can be in circulation, whereas such experiences point out the reverse.
He added, “What I can pledge is that I’m going to interact the telecommunication firms as soon as once more as a result of it’s evident that some individuals entry unregistered numbers. They’ve been claiming that could be they’re utilizing numbers of lifeless individuals.”
The Minister’s remarks adopted a matter of nationwide significance raised by Butebo district girl Member of Parliament, Hon. Sarah Ameede, throughout plenary sitting on Thursday, 19 September 2024.
Ameede mentioned that residents in Butebo district have severally fallen victims of fraudsters who use unregistered sim playing cards.
“There are individuals registering and extorting cash from individuals from Butebo district, purportedly as brokers of the affiliation of Teso warfare victims with a promise that they’re engaged on their types to profit from authorities compensation,” she mentioned.
Amede requested for an evidence on the legality of such actions and likewise urged authorities to place an finish to extortion of unsuspecting individuals.
Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Marksons Oboth agreed with Baryomunsi, saying that the Uganda Communications Act will be reviewed to penalise telecommunication firms discovered culpable of circulating unregistered sim playing cards.
“We are able to take a look at the regulation once more and are available again right here. This Parliament can save the scenario by means of laws, to create legal responsibility on the service suppliers,” Oboth mentioned.
He added that the matter must be addressed as a result of use of unregistered sim card additionally poses safety dangers.
“Criminals in Uganda, like every other nation, are utilizing telephones. This isn’t a small matter, individuals have been killed, individuals have been robbed whereas criminals coordinate this utilizing unregistered numbers,” he mentioned.
Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, welcomed the proposal to institute punitive measures towards telecommunication firms.
“You must comb into the regulation to see how one can have punitive measures, in different nations that’s what they’ve accomplished. It’s like banks, you facilitate cash laundering, you discover that you’ve been fined US$500 million and now they even shut them down,” Tayebwa mentioned.
The matter attracted debate from a number of lawmakers, who mentioned they’ve been victims of fraudsters who use unregistered sim playing cards, they usually referred to as for a long-lasting resolution to the problem.
Hon. Andrew Ojok (NRM, Omoro County) urged the Minister of ICT to contemplate a national information consciousness marketing campaign with a view of enlightening the inhabitants on find out how to detect fraud.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.