Museveni extends SIM card registration deadline

 President Yoweri Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has issued a new SIM card registration deadline which ends on August 30, 2017.

"I have agreed to this proposal on condition that the new deadline will be respected. SIM card registration will therefore run until August 30, 2017," the President tweeted.

He added: "I chaired the NRM Caucus today where some MPs appealed for more time for SIM card registration despite the passing of the earlier deadline. The ministry of ICT and other concerned government agencies are authorized to allow this new window. I ask Ugandans to take this exercise seriously."

Uganda Communications Commission's move to witch off unverified SIM cards left a significant number of Ugandans unable to make or receive phone calls.

Effective midnight on Friday, unverified SIM cards were switched off, in accordance with the telecom regulator, the Uganda Communications Commission's (UCC) May 19 deadline.

Last month, all mobile phone subscribers were required to update their records by submitting their national identification numbers (NINs) to service providers.

NINs are unique numbers printed at the back of one's national identity card, containing a trove of data about the card holder.

Phone users were required to visit telecom service centres or dial *197*3# and follow prompts to key in their NIN, surname and given name, or alternatively to send their details as a message to 197.

Information and National Guidance Minister, Frank Tumwebaze on Friday maintained that they would work with NIRA officers to hasten the issuance of national IDs.

According to government, the fresh registration of SIM cards using national IDs was prompted by national security concerns.