Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has named 26 postal and courier firms that are operating illegally in the country.
A Feb. 12 statement posted on the Commission’s social media pages also indicates that there are 3 companies that are operating with expired licenses and 10 others haven’t concluded the process of acquiring licenses.
According to the statement, there are only 17 licensed postal and courier operators in the country as of the day of publishing the aforementioned statement.
As per Section 4 of the Uganda Communications Act 2013, UCC is charged with regulating communication services in Uganda, including telecommunications, radio, television, broadcasting and postal and courier services.
Section 33 of the Uganda Communications Act 2013 prohibits any person(s) from conveying, delivering or distributing postal articles without a license issued under this Act.
Under Section 2 of the Act, Postal articles are defined to include any letter, postcard, newspaper, book, document, pamphlet, pattern, sample packet, small packet, parcel package or other article tendered for dispatch or specified in the International Postal Union or the license of an operator.
Postal services mean the services performed and facilities provided in connection with:
a) The collection, transmission, and delivery by land, water or air of postal articles
b) The issue of postage stamps and the use of franking machines
c) The issue and payment of money from one place to another or address commonly referred to as money orders
According to the UCC statement, illegal postal and courier operators in Uganda include Teso Coaches, Dreamline Coaches, Exodus Couriers, Ibabu Coaches, Yellows Pages Express, Swift Safaris (see the tweet for full list).
#PublicNotice
Use ONLY licensed and legally authorised postal and courier operators in Uganda@UCC_ED @EnochBarata @MoICT_Ug @fred_otunnu @Pamankunda @UgandaMediaCent @Parliament_Ug @PostaUganda @Uganda_Telecom @Airtel_Ug @mtnug @africellUG @SmileUganda pic.twitter.com/Tn805LPRnD— UCC (@UCC_Official) February 16, 2019
The legitimate ones include Monitor Publications, Easy Coaches, Link Bus, Aramex Uganda, KK Coaches, Homeland Courier (see the tweet for full list).
See: UCC warns broadcasters; spells out digital media rules
That said, UCC has advised the public “to desist from using the postal services of these illegal operators and report any operators who are operating illegally.”
“The public is advised to use only the licensed operators indicated herein,” UCC warned.
The Commission, however, says it has accorded the aforementioned illegal postal and courier operators in Uganda a grace period of three months forms the date of publication of the notice within which to regularize their operations and acquire a postal license from the Commission.
“The commission shall not hesitate to carry out enforcement against any illegal operators after this grace period,” ends the statement.
Related:
UCC gives broadcasters ultimatum over interests of persons with disabilities
UCC: What we know about SIM card hacking
