Simcard interim order application dismissed

Apr 20, 2017

The dismissal of the application was prompted by UCC lawyer Edwin Karugire.

PIC: Aaron Kiiza (2nd left), lawyer to the applicant in the Simcard registration case between UCC and Jobless Brotherhood chats with Andrew Karamagi as lead counsel for the respondents side Edwin Karugire arrives for the court session at Twed Towers on Wednesday. (Credit: Miriam Namutebi)

KAMPALA - High Court in Kampala has dismissed an application by petitioner Norman Tumuhimbise and Human Rights Trumpet Limited seeking to block the deactivation of unverified Simcards today (Thursday).

The government announced that it had extended the deadline to May 19.

On Wednesday, the civil court assistant registrar Joy Kabagya dismissed the application, saying that it had been overtaken by events.

She observed that since the government extended the deadline, court could not give orders in regard to the application.

"After perusing through the government letter extending the Simcard registration deadline which was the main contentious matter in this application, no orders can be made by this court," Kabagya ruled. 

She also ordered both parties to meet their costs.

The dismissal of the application was prompted by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) lawyer Edwin Karugire, who informed court that government had extended the registration deadline for a period of one month.

"Your worship, the matter is coming up for an interim ruling but the UCC and Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda have extended the Simcard registration deadline to May19 which renders the application irrelevant," Karugire submitted.

In reply, lawyer Kiiza maintained that although the deadline for registration has been extended, UCC's directive is illegal.

"In the spirit of reconciliation, we believe that the letter preserves the status quo since it stops the deactivation of the unregistered Simcards but we pray that the court also reiterate the same," he said.

 

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