Earlier today Next Media together with Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), MTN Uganda, Bank of Uganda, Equity Bank Uganda, Uganda Bankers Association, and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance launched new a campaign called Beera Steady.
The new campaign Beera Steady is aimed at encouraging Ugandans to get used to digital money with requisite knowledge on how to safeguard their money from fraudsters.
Addressing the guests and media today at the launch held at Next Media Park was the Next Media CEO Kin Kariisa said that the future of business is in digital and the sooner the Ugandan business community understands and appreciates this, the quicker they will adapt to modern-day demands
“This is the campaign that is part of our commitment to Inform to Transform our motherland. This is a two-year behavioral change campaign here to make Ugandans better on the financial literacy front. Now that we are using digital money, how do we work together to secure it?” “He also added saying that while business is increasingly going digital, the common man is yet to be equipped with skills and knowledge on how to protect their investments or avoid being duped,” added Kin Kariisa the Next Media CEO.
According to MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge said that as Uganda’s most widespread telecom with the largest customer base, fighting online fraud is a top priority. She welcomed the campaign of not just getting Ugandans to adopt a digital-first business approach but also educating them on how to avoid traps set by unscrupulous people online.
UCC’s Irene Kaggwa Ssewankambo said the Beera Steady campaign is part of their initiatives to bring Ugandans up to speed on the benefits and perils that they may face as they transition into digital business life. She pledged full support for the campaign that empowers Ugandans to take ownership of their digital footprint which will help economically develop the country.
Anthony Kituuka, the MD of Equity Bank Uganda, commented on the campaign, saying, “We cannot deny that we are in a digital economy. Therefore, it is upon us to ensure the safety of money. “Beera Steady – Be Better” is here to teach our customers and the economy to Be Better and steady.”
The Beera Steady campaign attracted a wide array of stakeholders in the business community.
Wilbrod Owor, the ED of the Uganda Bankers’ Association, also supported the campaign, saying, “These days, fraud is a full-time business and undermines the economy. Coming together on “Beera Steady – Be Better” to work against it is very important. This will build trust, support digital adoption, and that’s the future… Money has evolved from cowrie shells to gold to digital currency, which is the now and future. This needs to be protected and safeguarded.”
Colonel Emmanuel Katabazi, the Deputy Director General of the Internal Security Organisation and Chair of the Cyber Security Task Force, remarked, “The Minister of Security about a month ago launched our task force on cyber security. On behalf of the Cyber Security Task Force, we are committed to ensuring the digital space is safe and everybody is steady.”
Mackay Aomu, the Director of National Payments Systems at the Bank of Uganda, said, “I am pleased that “Beera Steady – Be Better” is aligned with the Bank of Uganda mandate; promoting sound financial systems in support of social-economic transformation that is achieved in many ways.”
Closing of the launch, Minister for ICT and National Guidance and Guest of honor at the Beera Steady launch Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, pledged the government’s support to the campaign, “I want to pledge that we shall give full support and work together for the success of the campaign.”
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is the regulatory body in Uganda for all telecommunications, media and broadcasting business. But in a strange twist, it appears MTN Uganda has taken over some of the regulator’s roles.
Last Tuesday, MTN Uganda in a breach of fair play rules switched off connection with their rivals-in-the-market, Africell for reasons we are yet to fully ascertain.
In a similar case of foul play, MTN Nigeria was last year fined 5 Billion USDs by Nigeria’s telecom regulator over breach of telecom rules of play like these.
From the look of this new twist by MTN, maybe it is time UCC jumped in early enough to stop the mess and protect customers who need communication to do business
This website picked rants from social media as desperate customers tried to question why they couldn’t connect from Africell to MTN numbers but MTN didn’t have a clear explanation. They only kept asking customers to contact Africell.
For a period stretching from Tuesday morning to s0me time into the evening hours, Africell customers couldn’t make calls to MTN numbers, leading to communication breakdown for a good number of Ugandans.
This move by MTN to its competition and other players is dangerous, as the customer gets to be the victim.
It means business and normal transactions couldn’t continue normally due to this ‘breakdown’.
One of the tweets directed to MTN by a distressed customer asking why he couldn’t connect to Africell, MTN responded asking the customer to contact Africell since the issue was on their side.
According to some subscribers, MTN must have been in a panic regarding the Don’t Be Cheated Campaign, in which Africell appears to thrust a jab at competitors MTN and Airtel.
The campaign asks customers not to be cheated and points at who is better, who is more affordable and who has the best products.
Also, insiders say MTN isn’t taking it too well with Africell for the no-charge mobile money offers the telecom is offering which has left MTN stranded with their hugely expensive money transfer services.
Africell seems to have taken it laying low and continue to offer their subscribers other ways to communicate as they drive them to register their SIM cards according to the UCC regulations.
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has directed all telecom companies to switch off unregistered sim cards by the end of March 29th (Which was yesterday). As you read this, all unregistered sim cards have been switched off.
“We direct that all non and partially registered SIM Cards be deactivated by 29th this month. Only identification cards for registration will be national IDs and passports we decided to use passports and national IDs because other documents were being abused and duplicated by many people. A meeting with stakeholders will take place to discuss this and also get methodology in deactivation of Sim Cards. For the sake of the security, we have to reduce on the number of sim cards one must have, no one with more than 10 sim cards in their names will be accepted.
The driving permits don’t capture detailed information of individuals like the national IDs and passports. People who used work IDs and other documents to register won’t be disconnected but will be given a grace period. Many criminals have been arrested due to information from Sim Cards, we should register all Sim Cards to eliminate the threat.
Companies that don’t heed will be fined 10% of their gross income and if they persist we can revoke their licences” Executive Director Eng. Godfrey Mutabazi.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has issued a directive to ABS Tv to stop airing ‘erotic’ shows. The shows which the UCC wants the station to stop airing are; Kalondozi, Nabawalanyi and Oluwombo Lwa Bafumbo. UCC reasoned out that the above shows are in breach of the Minimum Broadcasting Standards set out in section 31 of the Uganda Communications Act 2013.
ABS TV has been told to stop airing such shows by UCC
“The Commission has established that ABS TV station has continuously broadcast programmes that are in breach of the Minimum Broadcasting Standards set out in Section 31 of the Uganda Communications Act 2013.
These programmes include; Kalondozi, Nabawalanyi and Oluwombo Lwa Bafumbo.
The Commission, henceforth, directs ABS TV to stop broadcasting these programmes with immediate effect.
We, therefore, call on the general public to accord us your usual cooperation in case this directive is breached by the station in question,” UCC ordered. ABS TV is owned by Pastor Augustine Yiga.
Economic and civil rights activist who doubles as motivational speaker, Frank Gashumba has scoffed at Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) after learning that the communication regulatory body warned NTV Uganda not to host the motor mouthed speaker again on their station.
Frank Gashumba
Gashumba questioned the legality of UCC banning him from air and warned of filing a petition in the constitutional court. Below is his statement;
“UCC: Genetically, blessed certified cowards!!
In September this year, NTV hosted me as a guest analyst on the station’s evening Luganda news bulletin, ‘NTV Akawungeezi’ to basically give an analysis of a topic that was decided by the NTV’s news department.
As usual, I am always plain and clear and give my views, opinions and analysis where any ordinary person would clearly internalize exactly what is going on in our country.
I am not a factory, I do not sugarcoat anything; if you ask for my opinion, that is what you get…my head is not powered by anyone. If I was meant to be controlled, I would have been created with a remote control.
A week back, a source within the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) intimated to me that UCC had warned NTV not to dare host me again and if they did not heed to the directives, they would revoke their license.
This is how far our country has gone!
When did UCC become a complainant? When did UCC become an investigator, court and a judge?
In any case if I had committed any crime in any of my submissions, I would have expected the Police to summon me!
Who conducted the investigations that found that I was using an abusive language? And how come NTV that hosted me is cautioned and I the purported offender have not been cautioned!
I suspect small vampires who have participated in looting and mismanaging our country for many years, are using UCC to fight our freedom of expression.
But I can assure you, nobody can stop us and we shall not give up on our country.
These people seem to forget that we have the social media and with this letter, I am going to act like a wounded buffalo!
The government has people like Ofwono Opondo, Col. Shaban Bantariza, and the Minister for Information (who are always on TVs, Radios and in papers on a daily basis) among other forms of government public relations. Does this make me stronger than the entire government media arms?
And to you media houses, if you abide by such primitive and cowardly orders, you will be setting a wrong precedent.
It such a directive today, tomorrow they will order you to fire a news anchor for always putting on blue!
Fellow Ugandans, share with me your opinions! Should we simply give up on our fundamental rights or we petition the constitutional court,” Frank Gashumba said.
The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, in conjunction with Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), has organized a Forum for ICT innovators and Innovations Hubs in Uganda.
The half day forum is due to take place on Tuesday, August 30th at UCC House, Bugolobi starting at 10:00am. The purpose of the forum is to discuss matters pertaining to promotion of ICT innovations in Uganda. The Minister for ICT and National Guidance Hon Frank Tumwebaze said the dialogue’s attendance is free of charge. He urged Ugandans to attend in big numbers to be able to learn a thing or two.
ICT and National Guidance Minister; Frank Tumwebaze
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has clarified on the accusations that it blew UGX 10bn on foreign trips and legal fees. UCC the foreign trips are necessary and meant to acquire more expertise in the equipping UCC as an able commission to perform well its duties. Fred Otunnu, the UCC Director for Corporate Affairs clarified on the issue as follows;
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is a statutory body mandated to regulate Uganda’s communications sector as established by the Uganda Communications Act 2013. The sector comprises
telecommunications; electronic media (broadcasting), social media; postal and courier services; radio communications; and data communication and infrastructure.
UCC Boss Godfrey Mutabazi
UCC would like to draw the attention of Ugandans to the article entitled “UCC bosses blow over UGX10b on foreign trips and legal fees” that appeared Sunday Vision of August 14, 2016 (p.5) – an article that depicts UCC as a corrupt and spendthrift organisation.
I wish to provide the facts as follows;.
UCC staff, ministers responsible for communications, Members of Parliament on the Sessional Committee on ICT – just to mention a few – travelled on the UCC ticket to participate at events abroad during 2011-15. This was in line with UCC’s mandate of representing Uganda at and/or coordinating the country’s participation in regional and international fora and organisations as spelt out under Section 5 (1)(q) of the Act.
UCC represents Uganda at such international fora as the Africa Telecommunications Union (an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to fostering ICT infrastructure development in Africa), Commonwealth Telecommunications Union (a Commonwealth membership organisation in the field of information and communication technology), and East Africa Communications Organisation (an East African regional organisation that brings together national ICT regulators, operators, services providers in the telecommunication, broadcasting and postal sub-sectors).
Others include the GSM Association (an association that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide), International Telecommunications Service Organisation (an intergovernmental organisation aimed to provide public telecommunications services, including voice, data and video, on a global and non-discriminatory basis), International Telecommunications Union (the United Nations specialised agency for ICT), Pan Africa Postal Union (a specialized agency of the African Union aimed to improve co-operation on postal matters in Africa) and Universal Postal Union (the primary global forum for cooperation between postal sector players).
Type of meetings
In these bodies, UCC participates in three categories/types of meetings:
Plenipotentiary Conferences. This is the top policy making organ of the international organizations. The delegation to such meetings is usually led by the Minister responsible for ICT. The delegation often includes officials from UCC, Uganda’s diplomatic missions, Ministry of ICT, and MPs on the Sessional Committee on ICT where applicable.
The Commission participates in Study or Working Group meetings. These are highly specialised meetings tackling technological issues. These are attended by technocrats from UCC. Worth mentioning are Study Group 11 and Study Group 13 of which UCC has been Vice Chair persons.
Study Group 11 is responsible for producing international standards (ITU-T Recommendations) that define how telephone calls and other calls (such as data calls) are handled in the network; and developing
signalling requirements and protocols for Software-defined Networking (SDN). This Group leads ITU’s work on conformance and interoperability (C&I) testing, as well as developing test specifications focusing on global interoperability testing parameters, services, and quality of service (QoS) and testing parameters.
On the other hand, Study Group 13 is responsible for Future Networks (FNs) – networks of the future beyond NGN (2020). It is also concerned with the evolution of NGNs, while focusing on future networks and network aspects of mobile telecommunications. These include cloud computing, mobile and next-generation networks, future networks studies, network aspects of the Internet of Things (IoT), IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced (ITU-R standards commonly referred to as 3G and 4G, respectively.
The third group of international engagements that UCC attends are Conventions, and exhibitions. These are usually headed by a government official at ministerial level participating on High level panel sessions on topical issues. For exhibitions, UCC has taken winners of innovation awards to showcase Ugandan technology, innovations and service provision up to the grassroots.
Therefore, UCC and/or Ugandan participants are required to attend these meetings which consider issues pertinent to the communications and technological industry. Therefore, many of the travels queried in the Sunday Vision article and/or their sources were related to these meetings and events.
Examples of meetings attended
Between 2011-2015, UCC (or a Ugandan delegation coordinated by UCC) has attended a number of meetings and events such as the CTO Council in London (2011), which UCC had chaired for two years (2009-2010); the 31st PAPU Administration Council held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at which Uganda was elected to the PAPU Council of Administration; 19th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference held in Busan, South Korea, at which Uganda was elected to the ITU Council for Africa (Region D) for the period 2014-18; 4th ATU Plenipotentiary Conference held in Harare, Zimbabwe from July 3-11, 2014, where Uganda was re-elected to ATU Administration Council (2014-18); and the World Radio communication Conference 2015 (Geneva, Switzerland).
It should be noted that UCC votes and is voted for various posts. Since this is at regional, continental and global levels, the Government is heavily involved including but not limited for soliciting and lobbying member states at diplomatic lobby.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uganda’s diplomatic missions abroad are usually involved.
Events hosted events
In return, either as chairperson or out of goodwill, Uganda occasionally hosts international events. In June 2015, UCC hosted the 21st EACO Congress and Exhibition at the Sheraton Hotel from June 22-26, 2016. UCC was elected EACO chairperson; in 2013, UCC hosted a five-day regional digital migration workshop at Munyonyo under the theme: “Strategy for Broadband Access for All in East Africa.”
Other important events hosted include the 7th Annual eGov Africa 2013 under the theme: “eGovernment Policies, Practices and Innovation: The
Road Ahead” (March 25-27, 2016); ITU Standardisation Meetings (Study
Group 11 and 13) -November 4-15, 2013; and the 9th eLearning Africa
Conference 2014 under the theme: “Opening Frontiers to the Future”
(Munyonyo from May 28-30, 2014.
Conclusion
While time and space do not allow us to exhaust all the issues raised in the above article, it is evident the article contained a number of inaccuracies and distortions that inadvertently depicted UCC in an unfavourable image. Therefore, through this article UCC has put the issues raised into clear perspective.
UCC advocates open dialogue and is open to constructive criticism, but such communication ought to be from an informed point of view, fair and balanced. We would like to assure our communications sector is healthy, vibrant and on the right course to prosperity.
