Troubled Nkumba University Guild President Henry Byansi has been invited to Parliament to make submissions to the Committee on ICT regarding the proposed Uganda Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
In the invitation letter dated December 5, 2016, Mr.Byansi is required to prepare a written memorandum and come with it for an interface with members of the ICT Committee which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 10am in Parliament’s Conference Hall.
According to Parliament’s website, “the Bill seeks to remove parliamentary approval of regulations required in implementing the Uganda Communications Act, 2013,” which was enacted to consolidate and harmonise the Uganda Communication and media laws in Uganda.
The bill which was tabled before Parliament for its first reading on Wednesday March 9, 2016 by Hon. S.C. Fred Ruhindi, the then Attorney General, seeks to amend Section 93(1) of the Uganda Communications Act, 2013 to remove the requirement for parliamentary approval of regulations made by the ICT Minister under the Act. Under the old Act, the Minister is granted powers to make regulations relating to among others: fees payable upon the grant or renewal of a license; the classification or categories of licenses; the use of any communications station, apparatus or license; and anti-competitive practices.
Section 93(1) which Government seeks to amend provides that ‘The Minister may, after consultation with the Commission and with the approval of Parliament, by statutory instrument, make regulations for better carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.’ Section 93(3) however requires the regulations made to be laid before Parliament for approval.
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