UCC, telecoms under fire over illegal SIM cards

While compelling people to register their SIM cards using the government-issued National ID cards, various government officials had argued that the move was a national security measure. Yet, criminals aided by mobile phones have only escalated their activities since the mandatory exercise undertaken by telecom companies in collaboration with Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).
UCC, NIRA blamed
State minister for Agriculture Christopher Kibanzanga, State minister for Lands Parsis Namuganza, and Western Region Youth MP Mwine Rwamirama Mpaka are some of the recent high profile victims. Two MTN senior officials were arrested on accusations of duplicating the SIM cards.
In a statement read yesterday by her husband, Mr Daniel Lukwago, Ms Cindy Magara, an elder sister of Susan who was yet to jet into the country from Australia, said government should ensure it is hard for criminals to use phones to aide their activities.

“We ask telecom companies and UCC to do their job because some of the numbers which were used were not registered. We are asking, how come numbers which were not registered are still in use and we need answers from UCC, NIRA and the rest, yet government said this should have ended,” she said.
President Museveni in eulogy of Ms Magara admitted there were some loopholes which he promised government would fix soon.

“The gaps we have been having in the towns have been lack of cameras and unregulated sale of mobile phone SIM cards to people without electronic identity cards. It is these gaps that we are in the process of closing. In the next few months, the cameras will be up in many areas,” he said.

“Furthermore, no mobile or fixed phone SIM cards should be given to anybody without the electronic identity card. We may require the sellers of mobile phone SIM cards to have electronic identity card readers so that we rule out the photocopying of genuine electronic ID cards,” he added.

Mr Fred Otunu, the UCC Corporate Affairs Director, explained that registration had been done in compliance with the relevant legislation but they had encountered challenges in the process.
“Some people registered many numbers using valid IDs, some used valid IDs but not belonging to them, others used lost IDs, others used IDs of deceased persons, others allowed friends to use their NINs[National Identification Numbers] to register and that in itself created a gap,” he said.

This, Mr Otunu said “was supposed to be sorted out immediately, soon after the exercise by NIRA putting in place the API (Application Programming Interface) which would allow the operators to access their data base in real time so as to verify and validate consistently the ownership of the ID”.
“The absence of that API is definitely a weakness in the chain of this registration exercise. We hope that NIRA, sooner than later [will] establishes this API so that verification of those who are using other peoples numbers will be identified,” he added.

New SIM card guidelines
UCC has also revised its directive on SIM card ownership and issued new guidelines to telecoms with an individual only allowed to own not more than 10 SIM cards across all networks unlike before when one could own 10 SIM cards per network.
“Failure for any of these to observe these guidelines or compliance will attract very punitive sanctions from the commission,” he warned.
MTN Uganda said it was already implementing the new guidelines.

In response, MTN Uganda, yesterday, issued a number guidelines which it said were to be followed in case of loss or theft of SIM cards, including all MTN Uganda SIM card replacements being made at designated MTN service centres.
“All requests for SIM card replacement shall be made by the owner of the SIM card physically, upon presentation of a letter from the Uganda Police confirming loss or theft of the SIM card. SIM card registration and activation shall only be made after validation of the customer registration details, including presentation of a National ID,” a statement signed by management read.

Terrifying phone call from killers

Suspect: “Where have you reached with my agreement?”
Woman: “I am working on it sir. I am working on you sir.”
Suspect: “How far have you gone?”
Woman: “I am about to raise the money you asked me.”
Suspect: “What?”
Woman: “I am about to raise the money.” Suspect: “Is Magara yet to return?”
Woman: “He has returned sir.”
Suspect: “If he has returned what does it take to bring my money?”
Woman: “Sir when he gets it where should he bring it? Is the girl around you and I speak to her?”
Suspect: “What does it cost Magara to bring the money? I want to know now.”
Woman: “Sir you will get the money.”
Suspect: “Are you ready now?”
Woman: “I am not ready this time.”
Suspect: “So, do this. Prepare yourself. Be fully prepared, wait for my call. Avoid police or any other security agency because they are going to waste your time. I started this game knowing it. Avoid Interpol, police. Otherwise I will do something to Susan and you will never get her. I know you, I know where you stay. Avoid police or else you will get her in pieces. Wait for my call tomorrow. I will do her something you will never forget. I promise you, be loyal and cooperative.”
Woman: “Sir I follow whatever you say.” Suspect: “I want this money tomorrow, wait for my phone and know this, you are the one to bring this money. Do you have anything you want to ask before I hang up?”
Woman: “This money is too much, can’t you reduce?”
Suspect: “This money is not much according to the people I am dealing with.”

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