UCC grants MTN 30-day provisional licence

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has granted a 30-day provisional licence to telecom giant, MTN Uganda. MTN's 20-year licence expired on October 20, 2018.
 
Eng Godfrey Mutabazi, the executive director of UCC said today Tuesday that MTN was not ready for licence renewal by the time its licence expired on Saturday.

"When they are ready, it will be issued. We are still working out some modalities. We have given them a 30-day provisional licence," he said.  
Mutabazi said MTN will get a 10-year licence before the expiry of 30-day provisional licence. MTN Uganda was granted a licence on April 15, 1998 but it took effect on October 20, 1998. MTN commands the largest market share in Uganda with over 12 million subscribers' base. MTN over the weekend held an expo at Kololo airstrip to celebrate 20 years of success in Uganda.
 
The process for licence of renewal started a year ago when Mutabazi revealed that UCC had received application from MTN.

 

"Take notice that the Uganda Communications Commission has received an application for renewal of a National Telecommunication Licence by MTN Uganda Limited for the provision of telecommunication services within the Republic of Uganda. MTN Uganda Limited seeks to have its license renewed for ten (10) years commencing on October 21, 2018," Mutabazi said in a statement dated October 26, 2017.  

Cabinet last month gave UCC ago ahead to renew MTN's licence. However, the new licence is supposed to come with stringent terms as laid out in the new national broadband policy.  

The new licensing conditions for instance include listing on Uganda Securities Exchange (USE), covering entire geographical coverage of Uganda, national roaming, among others.  

Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) minister, Frank Tumwebaze said these stringent conditions will apply to other telecom companies as well when they apply for licence renewal. 

"Cabinet tasked the minister for ICT and Uganda Communication Commission to work with attorney general to ensure that the operator licence for MTN has clear terms and conditions that aim at ensuring quality of service," Tumwebaze told journalists last month when unveiling a new broadband policy.
 
MTN Uganda CEO Wim Vanhelleputte and MTN corporate affairs manager Val Oketcho did not pick repeated calls for a comment.

Source

Sheebah Karungi confirms her wedding plans

By PAUL WAISWA The numerous questions that have been circulating amongst fans are yet to have a remedy as queen karma has decided to sort out her intimate issues despite of the ups and bottoms engaged in as majority testifies. Dating and relationships come and go but marriage sums up the long lasting legal relationship […]
Source

‘Emirimu gya KCCA gigenda kuddamu okutambula’

MEEYA wa Munisipaali y'e Lubaga, Joyce Nabbosa Ssebuggwawo agambye nti emirimu egibadde gyesibye mu kitongole kya KCCA, gigenda okuddamu okutambula obulungi oluvannyuma lwa Jennifer Musisi abadde akulira...

Kasekende transacts Shs897m mobile money in 9 months

A leaked document shows that the Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor Dr. Louis Kasekende transacted over Shs897.060 million through the mobile money platform for the period June 30, 2017 to March 30, 2018, showing how rich the official is. The leaked document that Eagle Online has accessed indicates that Kasekende, who was recently interrogated by […]

The post Kasekende transacts Shs897m mobile money in 9 months appeared first on Eagle Online.

Source

Eddy Kenzo Brings Home Yet Another International Award

At this moment, the people doubting Eddy Kenzo have to 'lie low like an envelope' just like how presidential adviser Tamale Mirundi would state it. Despite their harsh words and beliefs towards him, he continues to represent the country globally. He is doing in music what sportsmen like Stephen Kiprotich winner of two Olympic gold […]

The post Eddy Kenzo Brings Home Yet Another International Award appeared first on Chano8.

Source

Kitatta obtained firearms from police - CMI

Jailed patron of vigilante-cum-militia outfit Boda Boda 2010 Abdullah Kitatta obtained fire arms from the Uganda Police Force, the General Court Martial sitting in Makindye heard on Monday.

Maj David Agaba, the commander of operations in the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) told court that Kitatta confessed to him that he received firearms from police.

Kitatta is battling charges of illegal possession of firearms together with twelve others. The other suspects are; Matia Ssenfuka, Joel Kibirige, Hassan Ssemata, Jonathan Kayondo, Ssengooba Hassan, Sande Ssemwogerere, John Ssebandeke, Hussein Mugema, Fred Bwanika and Amon Twinomujuni. 

The suspects were allegedly found in possession of two pistols, an AK-47 rifle, 55 rounds of ammunition and four army uniforms belonging to the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF). The suspects were arrested in a joint swoop from Busega and Wakaliga in Rubaga Division on January 19, 2018. 

Agaba appeared before the Court Martial on Monday as the third witness since he commanded the operation that led to the arrest of the suspects.
 
He told court that in his 20-year service in the military he had never seen a gold-coated pistol that Kitatta was found with when he was picked up from Wakaliga, adding that he is still wondering where the suspect got the pistol. Agaba explained that during interrogations, Kitatta told them that he secured the pistol from top leaders in police. 

The officer, who couldn't complete his testimony due to shortage of time, said Kitatta was arrested for blocking operations to arrest the suspected killers of Francis Ekalungar, the accountant of Case of Clinic. Court Martial chairperson, Lt Gen Andrew Gutti adjourned the matter to later today to allow Agaba to complete his testimony. 

Kitatta, who was in court, appeared too weak and only stood with the help of his co-accused.  Lt. Gen. Gutti later allowed him to seat when his lawyer, Shaban Sanywa notified court about his ill health. Kitatta has made two attempts to secure bail. The state is yet to respond to Kitatta's bail application. 

Last week, the military court denied his co accused Joel Kibirige bail on grounds that he is likely to sabotage evidence since their trial has already started. 

Source

Sheebah Shares Secret for her success in the music Industry

By Consolate Namyalo Sheebah Karungi is undeniably at the top of her game when it comes to the music scene in Uganda at the moment. Releasing hit after hit is not something that comes easy, but the "Wankona" hit maker has somehow made it work for her, making her an industry leader and favorite female […]

The post Sheebah Shares Secret for her success in the music Industry appeared first on BigEye.UG.

Source

Southern East Africa steps up customer experience focus- Genesys

Enterprises in Southern East Africa and Mauritius are rapidly stepping up their efforts to boost customer experience, reports customer experience specialist channel-Genesys. Genesys says enterprises in African development hubs are experiencing strong growth and are fast catching up with their international counterparts in terms of next-generation in customer service, sales and marketing. "Businesses across major […]

The post Southern East Africa steps up customer experience focus- Genesys appeared first on Eagle Online.

Source

Lawyer Wanyoto runs to High court to block fraud trial

City lawyer, Paul Wanyoto Mugoya has petitioned the High court seeking to block his trial together with eight others in the Anti-Corruption court for alleged fraud and kidnap.

 

Wanyoto is accused alongside Samuel Nabeta Mulowooza, the managing director Eye Power Engineering Company and police officers, Siraje Bakaleke, Robert Munezero, Innocent Nuwagaba, Robert Ray Asiimwe, Junior Amanya, Babu Gastavas and Kenneth Zirintuusa. 

The suspects are accused of extorting Shs 1.4 billion from Park Seunghoon and Jang Shingu Un, both South Korean nationals who had come to Uganda to purchase gold last year.  

 

The officers reportedly connived with Wanyoto who was representing the South Korean businessmen and placed them at gunpoint at Acacia Mall in Kampala. The Koreans were locked up at Katwe police station before police officers procured for them air tickets with intentions of deporting them on the orders of assistant commissioner of police (ASP), Siraje Bakaleke.

However, the suspects were intercepted by security operatives before deporting their victims and dragged before the Anti-Corruption court. Now, Wanyoto who has never appeared before the Anti-Corruption court to plead to the charges, has rushed to the Civil Division of High court seeking an injunction to block his trial, arguing that the charges against him were sanctioned in bad faith. 

 

Through his lawyers of Web Advocates and Solicitors, Wanyoto contends that the DPP acted under the influence of the commandant Criminal Investigations Department of Kampala Metropolitan Area well-knowing that there is no formal complaint against him or sufficient evidence to support the charges.

In his affidavit, Wanyoto states that he is a director/shareholder in Ms. McKinley Resource Company Ltd together with Jang Seungkwon, Park Seunghoon and Ha Dong, whom they agreed with, to independently transact monies on their dollar and shillings account in Diamond Trust Bank. The agreement was reached on January 25, 2018 after the registration and incorporation of McKinley Resource Company Ltd according to the documents before court.
 
Wanyoto alleges that it was agreed that the monies be secured from their Korean counterpart particularly Wang Yu, who is the collective principle and be remitted to the company account in Diamond Trust Bank.  

 

This was reportedly done to comply with the regulatory and legal frame works regarding a foreign company before commencing business in Uganda. Wanyoto explains that $480,000 was remitted to the company account. 
 
He notes that before they could fully resolve the matters, his co-directors/shareholders were arrested on allegations of terrorism and money laundering. According to Wanyoto, he received a phone call from Park who was locked up at Katwe police station informing him about their arrest.
 
He explains that after confirming the charges against his business partners, it was agreed that he withdraws $415,000 from the company account. Wanyoto notes in the affidavit that Park and Ha instructed him as their lawyer to help secure their release and freedom. $30,000 was disbursed to him as instructions or legal fees. 

 

"Indeed the following day, I managed to secure the release of Jang, Park and Ha Dongsub", reads Wanyoto's affidavit in part.

 

After their release, Wanyoto says they agreed that the South Koreans travel to Dubai to shed off their nasty experience before returning to Uganda. He explains that he later handed over $415,000 to Ha in the presence of his co-directors Jang and Park and they parted ways since the group was heading to the airport.

 

Wanyoto says the decision by the police and DPP to slap charges against him was unreasonable and abuse of administrative power since there is no complainant in the case and no proof that he caused a financial loss to the company where he is a co-director. 

He says the actions by police and DPP are meant to abuse his fundamental human rights and freedom since he did his job of securing police bond for his co-directors as agreed. Wanyoto now wants the High court to issue a permanent injunction against the proceedings in the Anti-Corruption court. 

He also wants court to declare the actions of police and DPP as illegal, saying they are trumped up. Wanyoto is the second person seeking orders to block these proceedings. Bakaleke also raised similar grounds seeking to block the trial. 

Their co-accused have since appeared in the Anti-Corruption court and pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail of Shs 7 million in cash with the exception of Asiimwe who doesn't have sureties. Court is yet to fix Wanyoto's application for hearing.

Source