| Postal businesses query new media bill Private postal operators have questioned the motives of the Uganda Communications Regulatory Authority Bill, arguing that it will negatively affect their businesses as it comes with unrealistic controls which threaten clients' rights and freedoms. Whatever is in that bill has been in existence in the last ten years. They have the right to challenge new or old bills. The Uganda postal and courier sub-sector has more than 30 players including national, regional and international couriers. In a telephone interview, Mr Edmund Mutebi, the country manager, TNT courier services said that allowing authorities to open some private mail without the knowledge and authorisation of the sender would affect the whole business as the clients will no longer be assured of privacy. Such articles ought to be removed as they are not business friendly. Conversely, Mrs Dorothy Kihika, the marketing manager of DHL Uganda said that it is acceptable for the legitimate authorities to intercept and cross check mail provided they consider it dangerous to country's security. "The regulatory authority has the right to open and check mail for matters of security of the whole society. This was supported by Mr Rogers Mugume, the head of courier operations at Daks couriers who in a separate interview disapproved of this new bill insisting that it would directly undermine the rights of both the sender and intended receiver. "We always request senders to declare the contents of their mails and parcels. In a different interview, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi, the executive director Uganda Communications Commission softened the effects of this bill insisting that it will never affect any company as it only contains articles that have been operation in the past years. However, if authorities sense danger, they are able to open and check these parcels again in our presence. Under normal circumstances, we check the properties of our customers in their presence. "There is nothing new in there. If people are not happy because they believe it infringes on their rights then it need to be contested in court. Therefore opening a mail/parcel in the absence of either the sender or intended receiver would be infringing on the right to privacy. While we talk about privacy, we should not forget country security. When you go ahead and open such mail, then you're clearly undermining the right of the sender. In this case it isn't proper and its implementation will hurt our firm," Mr Mutebi said. But this rarely happens as we ensure that what we are carrying is thoroughly checked by our agents," Mrs Kihika said. One article in this bill gives the director general of the regulatory authority powers to examine private mail by post if the Authority believes that the articles contain 'prohibited subject matter' or items that may be deemed threatening, obscene or of 'grossly offensive character'. "This should rely on which kind of mail you're opening. |
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Postal businesses query new media bill
