Magara’s murder: Museveni orders no sale of SIM cards to buyers without IDs

President Yoweri Museveni has issued an order that no person should be sold a mobile phone or SIM card unless they posses an electronic Identity Card.

Museveni passed the decree following the shocking death of Susan Magara, an accountant and daughter to John Fitzegerald Magara who is a businessman.

Magara was kidnapped more than two weeks ago, however, her body was recovered dumped in Kigo despite kidnappers negotiating and receiving part of the ransom they claimed.

Accordingly, the kidnappers stayed in contact with the family, sending them scary videos of the deceased being mutilated as well as making frantic calls to demand for the ransom.

President Museveni now demands that for anyone to buy a mobile phone of SIMcard, they should reveal their identity using any of the electronic identity cards like; National ID, NSSF card, Driving Permit or a passport for foreigners.

“The NRM defeated rural terrorists like Kony and ADF; and defeated the Karimojong cattle rustlers because we created forces that could cope with those rural security challenges and equipment to assist them. The gaps we have been having in the towns have been lack of cameras and unregulated sale of mobile phone SIM cards to people without electronic identity cards. It is these gaps that we are in the process of closing. In the next few months, the cameras will be up in many areas,” Museveni said.

 

“Furthermore, no mobile or fixed phone SIM cards should be given to anybody without the electronic identity card. We may require the sellers of mobile phone SIM cards to have electronic identity card readers so that we rule out the photocopying of genuine electronic ID cards,” he added.

 

Museveni said that in order to eliminate these criminals, the country may have to look at two other measures: capturing the palm-print of everybody and the DNA of everybody. Some elements try to argue that capturing the DNA of people is not democratic.

 

“I cannot understand why it is not democratic. DNA records of everybody are good to compare with blood samples, sweat, sperm etc found at the scene of crime. Palm-prints are better than thumb prints because the criminal may leave the palm-print and not thumb print,” he said.

“As for the killers of Susan, we shall get them because there are clues they left behind. I will not allow anybody to interfere with the freedom of our young people. May the Almighty God rest Susan's soul in eternal peace,” he added.