KCCA sets guidelines for digital service providers

TRANSPORT | SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has set guidelines for companies which intend to provide digital mobile applications for taxis and bodabodas.

Among others, KCCA requires these companies to have company profile including document of ownership like a certified copy of certificate of Incorporation, certified copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

They should also have a business plan to include, objectives, concept, detailed description of planned infrastructure facilities, technology, capacities to be installed in switching and transmission facilities and illustrated with network diagram.

According to KCCA public relations officer, Daniel Nuwabine, the guidelines require that they avail a copy of the insurance policy, valid trading license to operate as service provider in Uganda, proof of address of the organization premises, and tenancy agreement.

Nuweabine says other guidelines include, income tax clearance certificate indicating no outstanding income tax dues on the organization.

They also include official legal affidavit confirming that the entity is not debarred from doing business with government and must be accredited as an IT service provider by The National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U).

The company should be able to integrate with government systems like KCCA, Local Government, Ministry of Works and Transport.

It should have a client support system, consent of the business community with a minimum of 1000 representatives.

"Any provider wishing to utilize prepaid services will be required to indicate measures put in place to protect consumers of the prepaid services like cashless wallets," he said.

Currently there about ten companies operating in Uganda, they include, spesho, Safe boda, taxify, Uber, Dial jack, Bolt boda/taxi and Mondo Ride.  Others are Matatu Pay, Kommute, Ollie Taxi, Mak Boda and City Boda.

Nuweabine explained that stakeholders too have requirements like operator disclosure clauses and data sharing arrangements, color coding as per KCCA divisions, mechanisms of paying KCCA license fees by boda-boda riders and complaint resolution mechanisms.

Other requirements are service accessibility and technology requirements, quality of service levels and equipment standards, Interconnection interface requirements.

KCCA in this is working with key stakeholders of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Security (including Interpol Police), Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Ministry of ICT (MoICT) and NITA-U.

Others are National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).