telecom companies - Uganda Multimedia News & Information

Government to blame for failure to install intelligence network system to monitor telecom companies’ proceeds – Balidawa

Isaac Senabulya — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 07:05:48 +0000

The member of parliament for Kigulu north in Iganga district Edward Balidawa Kafufu has blamed government for its failure to install the intelligence network system that will monitor the exact proceeds got by telecom companies from things such as airtime and SMS. Edward Balidawa Kafufu who is also one of the members of parliament on the parliamentary ICT committee says that without such system, this affects the tax revenue collected by the revenue authority from telecom companies since URA collects taxes from these companies based on estimates or what the telecom companies voluntarily provide to URA.

The MP made the remarks during a training workshop for the media on the proposed data protection and privacy bill that is intended to protect the rights of online users. He also called for the appointment of the members of the communication tribunal within the Ministry of ICT to deal with the cases within the communication sector which can not be handled by the Uganda communication commission leaders who could not be impartial.

Some of the players in the telecom industry.

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How hackers dig into people’s bank accounts and steal money

Walakira — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:32:02 +0000

According to, Mustapha Mugisa, a forensic specialist with Summit Consulting, a firm based in Uganda’s capital city Kampala, thousands of people in Uganda are losing mobile money in hands of hackers.

He says that hackers and conmen target peasants and other lower end people who use the mobile money services as savings bank accounts yet the telecom companies in Uganda have not taught them basic security precautions they need to take while using telecoms as bank accounts.

Mugisa says that most of the businesses connected to internet are in danger of being hacked and so there should be wary about the growing cyber fraud. Most times, hackers take advantage of the ignorance of most service providers and clients respectively to hack into company data bases and steal information. However police sources told us that hackers sometimes use people working in respective businesses like mobile telecoms to steal information and steal peoples’ cash.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) however warns telecommunications companies in Uganda (MTN, Warid telecom, Airtell telecom, Uganda Telecom, K2 telecom, and Orange telecom) to exercise caution when dealing with mobile money transactions.

The warning follows the rising cases of fraudulent transactions in mobile money services. Many people complain loss of money against telecommunication companies which the telecoms allegedly refuse to refund. Godfrey Mutabazi, the UCC executive director, confirms the development and says many people report cases of sending money using telecom companies not reaching targeted recipients. He also warns Ugandans to guard against the new wave of cybercrimes.

Ends

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Traders strike in Uganda ends

Gerald Businge — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:40:53 +0000

Ugandagovernment has lost over 6 billion shillings during the three day traders strike in Kampala Capital City Authority. On Wednesday this week thousands of Traders inUgandaespecially inKampalaclosed their shops protesting against the high interest rates commercial banks charge on loans.

The traders strike was peaceful although the police arrested some of the traders it suspected that they could turn violent.

The traders spokesman, Issa Sekitto says that it’s the government which has lost in the strike as over 6 billion shillings have not bee collected during the strike.

He explains that telecom companies like MTN Uganda, Uganda Telecom, WaridUgandaandOrangecollect millions of money every day from the calls traders make. Sekitto says that all these telecom companies pay taxes to the government so when the traders go on strike all the revenue the government collects on fuel stations, taxis, beverage companies, sugar factory among others also reduce.

The traders strike is ending today evening with a meeting of all traders to decide whether next week the start a violent strike.

Ugandais now among the countries inAfricaknown to have violent strikes in which many people are shot dead by the police and the army.

Millions of Ugandans who used to be so peaceful have slowly turned violent due to increasing levels of poverty, political discrimination, land grabbing executed by some of the people who have big connections in the army, police, courts of law and government.

By Moureen Nakyanzi

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Telecom companies asked to reinvest profits in Uganda or sell shares to Ugandans

Gerald Businge — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:03:37 +0000

President Yoweri Museveni has directed telecommunication companies in the country to sell off some shares to Ugandans. The president says it is unfair for these companies repatriating huge amount of “abnormal profits” they are making in the country with Ugandans not benefiting much.

President Yoweri Museveni

The President said he has been informed that the South African owned Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Company repatriates a lot of profits from the Ugandan markets.

This is after NRM caucus member and Kampala Member of Parliament Muhamud Nsereko complained that companies like MTN Uganda have reaped billions of shillings from the Ugandan market but repatriate much of the profits.

Nsereko claims each year MTN Uganda repatriates up to 360 billion dollar leaving the economy crippled due to cash outflows.

In response to the Nsereko’s complaint, the president promised to meet top managers of these telecom companies over profits made from their operations here.

The president says the companies should repatriate only 20% of what they reap from the Ugandan market and re-invest the rest in the country’s economy. He says failure to comply might force the government to buy shares in those companies so that that the dividends these companies male from Uganda are shared with Ugandans.

Ultimate Media

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