The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has directed the House Committee on ICT and National Guidance to conduct a thorough investigation into the illegal practice of telecom companies reassigning already allocated SIM cards to new users.
Tayebwa highlighted the growing concern that many people's mobile numbers have been ‘hijacked’ for fraudulent activities. Despite numerous complaints to relevant authorities, no action has been taken against the culprits.
“This is a deeply rooted cartel that we cannot take at face value. In other countries, parliaments interrogate telecom executives, who must appear before the legislature alongside affected individuals to register their cases. Our committee must conduct a comprehensive inquiry into this matter,” Tayebwa stated.
He issued the directive while chairing the plenary session on Thursday, January 23, following concerns raised by legislators who struggled to update their SIM card details.
Sarah Najjuma (NRM, Nakaseke District Woman Representative) pointed out that some telecom companies assign mobile numbers to individuals without verifying ownership using national IDs, a mandatory requirement for SIM card registration.
“Today, I met a lady who wanted to replace her line, only to be told that another number was registered in her name without her knowledge. This is a serious security risk. What is the government doing to address it? Innocent people could be wrongfully arrested,” Najjuma said.
Betty Naluyima (NUP, Wakiso District Woman Representative) expressed concern about the difficulty in tracing individuals who use unregistered numbers to harass loan guarantors.
“One of our colleagues in this building took out a loan using an online app. Many of us later received messages claiming we were guarantors, yet when I checked the sender’s number, it was unregistered. How can the Uganda Communications Commission allow such numbers to remain in circulation?” Naluyima asked.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja tasked the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, with ensuring the security of Ugandans’ mobile numbers and preparing a report for Parliament.
Separately, on Thursday, December 19, 2024, Tayebwa instructed the Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development to respond within a month to public complaints about online money lenders accused of harassing borrowers, including senior government officials.
During the Thursday, January 23, 2025 plenary session, State Minister for Finance (General Duties), Henry Musasizi, confirmed that the ministry is preparing a report to be presented before Parliament.
“These platforms operate illegally because the legal ones are regulated. The National Payment Systems Law provides a framework for regulating payment platforms, but what is happening now falls outside the existing law,” Musasizi stated.