The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has switched off three radio stations in Kitgum town for failure to pay their annual license fees. The radios that have been switched off are; 91.5Fm Mighty Fire, a leading faith founded radio operated by Irene Gleeson Foundation IGF, 99.2 Kiti F.M and 100.7 Pol F.M. They were switched off on Monday night. Gerard Wodomal, the Mighty Fire FM station Manager confirmed the radio was switched off by Engineers from UCC. Wodomal said the act was bad for their business and declined to divulge further details. According to Feslad Odongo, the Administrator of 103.5 Tembo FM, a commercial radio in Kitgum, though the exercise did not affect them, the UCC Engineers were enforcing technical compliance in regards to frequency modulation, power output and band-pass filter among others. The UCC is mandated under Act Cap. 106 Sub-section 27(a) & (b) to exclusively the develop, review, modify, coordinate and implement frequency band plans, implement an inspection and assessment regime to ensure equipment installed and usage conforms to standards and specifications. Ibrahim Bbosa, the UCC Spokesperson confirmed that a team of Engineers are in the field to enforce compliance. Bbosa revealed that the on-going clampdown targets 50 defaulting radio broadcasting stations across the country. Last month, 8 other radio stations were switched off over failure to pay license fees and technical issues. They were Voice of Teso, Kyoga Veritas and Delta FM which belong to Soroti Diocese; and Gold FM, Ebenezer, Signal, Time, Impact FM which are located in Mbale.
Last year, UCC announced a new license fees structure for FM radios including those operating online. UCC argued that the new tax regime aims at providing proper monitoring, Inspections, Supervision and content regulation of broadcasting services. The Commercial Radio License is sub categorized based on locations or Tiers. Tier one includes National Radio which pay Shs10m to operate annually. Tier two includes FM radios from Kampala Region which will each pay Shs8m annually. Tier three includes stations from Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Gulu, Arua, Fort portal, Masaka and Mbarara. These will be charged at least Shs6m each annually. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225.
