Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director Mutabazi has directed telecom companies to disconnect all unverified sim cards at midnight Wednesday August 30, 2017.
Mutabazi said the process of switching off non-complaint sim cards shall last for 72 hours, starting at midnight.
Eng Godfrey Mutabazi, referred to a directive by President Yoweri Museveni setting the end of August deadline which was communicated by the prime minister and security minister.
He said the switched off sim cards will be reactivated upon physical presentation of national Identity Cards and related information to a respective service provider. If the NIN is not found by NIRA, the reactivated sim card will once more be deactivated.
New sim cards will also be made active after presentation of the same details to a service provider.
The switch-off involves barring of all incoming and outgoing calls, barring data services, enable only mobile money withdrawal but disallow deposits or receipt of funds, enable calls only for emergency services and calls to customer care.
He said unused mobile money balances will be retained in accordance to mobile money regulations as stipulated by Bank of Uganda.
“The commission hereby directs all mobile network operators that provide sim card based communication services to strictly comply with the guidelines above,” Mutabazi’s statement reads in part.