The government has suspended the seven-day ultimatum for the registration of SIM cards that was announced by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) last week.

According to a release by the Government Interactive Centre (UGIC), the government has decided to extend the exercise by one month, to May 19.

Yesterday Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, while weighing in on the issue that has since become contentious, said government would review the UCC directive.

“At the close of the deadline, we shall assess and advise. Make every effort to meet and beat the deadline for the SIM Card verification exercise,” he said.

The development comes as the High Court was today expected to hear an application by ‘Jobless Brotherhood’ leader Norman Tumuhimbise, seeking to block the re-registration process before the given a Thursday deadline by the UCC.

Tumuhimbise, who had sued the UCC jointly with Rights Trumpet Limited, is no stranger to controversy and first came to the limelight in 2015 when he led a shadowy umbrella group, the Jobless Brotherhood, to drop piglets coloured in yellow, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) colour, at Parliament.

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Today marks the 12^th day Makerere University researcher Dr Stella Nyanzi is in detention for allegedly calling President Yoweri Museveni a ‘pair of buttocks’.

But ever since Nyanzi’s arrest, none of her three children has seen her because as the long-awaited day to visit her came, they were blocked by prison officials.

Indeed, daughter, Baraka, 11, and her twin brothers Wasswa and Kato accompanied by relatives and activists went to Luzira prison Wednesday morning to visit Dr.Nyanzi as early as 8am but they were stopped.

“We are blocked together with Dr. Stella Nyanzi’s children! The prison warders say they are waiting for orders from above before they let us in! All the other visitors are being allowed in; save for those who have come to see Nyanzi!” Makerere University LC 5 Woman Councillor, Doreen Nyanjura wrote on social media early morning.

And by 1pm, they still hadn’t been let in.

“Still Blocked! We are over 30 people, we have all come to see Dr Stella Nyanzi, we have been at the first entrance of Luzira Women’s gate since 9;00am! Stella Nyanzi doesn’t have a right to receive visitors; not even her children! Who is this ‘above’ that stops children who haven’t seen their mother in over a fort night from accessing her? What has this nation come to? Wednesday is an open day for visitation for all prisoners in Luzira, why can’t Stella see her people?”

By press time it was not possible to get comment from the Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine.

Nyanzi was arrested about two weeks back as she left MacKinnon Suites where she had been addressing a workshop organized by Rotary Uganda.

Two charges were brought against her, with the first count being that ‘Dr Nyanzi on January 28, 2017 at Kampala District or thereabout used a computer to post on her Facbook page ‘Stella Nyanzi’ wherein she made a suggestion or proposal referring to His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as among others ‘a pair of buttocks’ which suggestion/ proposal is obscene or indecent’.

In the second count, prosecution states that Dr Nyanzi ‘between January 2017 and march 2017 in Kampala district wilfully and repeatedly used electronic communication to post messages offensive in nature via Facebook, transmitted over the internet to disturb or attempted to disturb the peace, quiet or right of privacy of His Excellency the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni with no purpose of legitimate communication’.

She denied both charges.

Magistrate James Ereemye remanded her to Luzira prison until April 25 when her bail application is expected to be heard.

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The police has temporarily held Kampala Central Member of Parliament Muhammad Nsereko over the city traders strike against Chinese and increments in rent.

Nsereko, who was later released, had joined the Nakasero market traders who sought to know how some Chinese and Indians acquire the requisite documentation to work in Uganda ‘despite the high unemployment rates’.

“We have plenty of Indians and Chinese doing jobs Ugandans should be doing,” Nsereko said adding that they had started up an operation code-named ‘Operation Wajjya Otya’, literary meaning ‘operation how did you come’ to ensure only legitimate Chinese and Indians stay and do business in Kampala.

Meanwhile, Nsereko also rubbished the ongoing exercise to re-register SIM Cards, saying it was an effort in futility, carried out without taking into consideration the prevailing circumstances.

“The only problem is that you make decisions in comfort of your swinging chairs and forget the reality,” he said, adding: “These guys are absolutely out of touch with the people on ground. Their arrogance is unacceptable.”

According to Nsereko, the registration is also inconsequential in as far as security is concerned. “Issuing of national IDs and SIM card registration will not curb these kifeesi guys who break into houses,” he said.

He added: “People are using unregistered numbers from different countries through roaming. Police are trying to curb nothing here.”

Meanwhile, the High Court is expected to hear an application by ‘Jobless Brotherhood’ leader Norman Tumuhimbise, through which he is seeking to block the re-registration process, given a Thursday deadline by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC). Tumuhimbise, who sued the UCC jointly with Rights Trumpet Limited, is no stranger to controversy and first came to the limelight in 2015 when he led a shadowy umbrella group, the Jobless Brotherhood, to drop piglets coloured in yellow, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) colour, at Parliament.

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