Early last month, Uganda Communication Commission on March 6th, 2018 published a notice signed by Engineer Godfrey Mutabazi, the Executive Director UCC, that online data communication platforms required “authorisation” from the commission and tasked all of them to apply for authorization before the end of April.
UCC emphasized that any content, whether by way of audio, video, visual, sound, still or moving pictures or a combination was a form of communication service that is subject to the regulatory control of the Commission.
In that regard, UCC asked every electronic Media news provider to apply and obtain authorization from the commission. In a leaked email dated April 19th, 2017, It was learnt that of the many e-media news outlets, only 14 had applied for the licences with only Nile Post Uganda Ltd and China Haijiang Online Africa Ltd had been fully authorised while the other 12 had their applications being processed.
An excerpt of the letter stated;
This is to confirm that the following providers have applied for and the commision is considering their applications for authorisation to provide Online Data Communications Services in Uganda;
| S/N | Name of Service Provider | Status |
| 1 | Nile Post News Uganda Ltd | Authorised |
| 2 | China Haijiang Online Africa Ltd | Authorised |
| 3 | Dimension Media Ltd | Application in process |
| 4 | Post Media Ltd | Application in process |
| 5 | Uganda Online Website Directory | Application in process |
| 6 | Hive Digital Ltd | Application in process |
| 7 | Mirror Digital Ltd | Application in process |
| 8 | Trumpet Media Ltd | Application in process |
| 9 | Newslex Point Ltd | Application in process |
| 10 | Gold Cast (U) Ltd | Application in process |
| 11 | Newscorn Uganda Ltd | Application in process |
| 12 | Hot Spot Ltd | Application in process |
| 13 | Chimp Media Ltd | Application in process |
| 14 | Guide 2 Uganda | Application in process |
In the wake of last week, UCC sent out a communication to all Internet service providers (ISPs) directing them to suspend the provision of carriage services to any Online Data communication service provider online/Electronic Media News provider) that is not listed above and/or had not presented an authorization certificate or other express clearance from the Uganda Communications Commission.
Apparently, the letter brings to book that every company that shall not have a license shall be switched off by UCC with the help of Internet Service providers who are the telecoms in this case.
