MPs suspicious of sim registration

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ZICTA managing director Margaret Mudenda
ZICTA managing director Margaret Mudenda

Members of Parliament have expressed suspicions over the sim card registration exercise being conducted by the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA).

The parliamentarians said that ZICTA needed to urgently clear the strong perception amongst most citizens that the authority is working with the office of the president to listen into conversations.

Speaking during a meeting with chairpersons of parliamentary committees, organised by ZICTA, Monze central MP,who is chairman of the parliamentary committee on legal affairs, Jack Mwimbu said most people are resisting to register their sim cards because ZICTA has not put in place safeguards assuring non-interference with human rights.

And chairperson on the parliamentary committee on agriculture, Request Muntanga, who is also Kalomo central MP, said that he was one individual who has not yet seen the main essence of registering his sim card.

Mr. Muntanga said that without proper sensitization, ZICTA will be seen to be violating human rights.

And in response, ZICTA managing director Margaret Mudenda said that under the law the authority is operating, it has no power to interfere in any citizens personal privacy.

Mrs Mudenda said the impression that ZICTA has equipment that listens into conversations of subscribers is not true.

She said that the registration of sim cards is to ensure that the country is prepared for global trends stating that it would be unfortunate for the country not to participate in international best practices.

Mrs. Mudenda added that the authority’s collaboration is merely in line with legal frameworks and not to interfere in personal conversations of Subscribers.

QFM

87 COMMENTS

  2. Shame to the law makers . If upto now you still don’t no that there are no secrets or privacy on the phones what of an ordinarly Zambian.just register its for your on good

  3. IS THIS STORY STILL TAKING ROUNDS? SO, OUR MPs ARE THAT DULL? THIS SIM CARD REGISTRATION IS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THE REASONS FOR REGISTERING ONE’S SIM CARD ABROAD/OVERSEAS ARE THE SAME AS ZAMBIA’S. I THOUGHT MPs ARE THE ONES WHO SHOULD EVEN EDUCATING OTHER ZAMBIANS ABOUT THIS EXERCISE AND YET THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SO RETARDED AND NEED PUMPING SENSE INTO THEIR EMPTY HEADS.

    • Stop lying ba Peter, I just went to buy 4 sim cards at a corner shop here in Liverpool. What sim card registeration the world over. I was in Geneva, Switzerland, the other day and bought a sim card there was no registration. Mwilabapa dadi!

    • You are right my friend. We shall never go anywhere with fools like our MPs. Surley in Zambia some people are so dull. In Zim this is working so well. With little educated people pa Zed, we shall remain like maggots !!

    • MAYBE LYCA MOBILE AND LEBARA DON’T REGISTER THEIR SIM CARDS BUT EVERY SIM I VE OWNED FROM T-MOBILE (EE), AND ORANGE AND I KNOW IT FOR A FACT THAT VODAFONE AND 3 REGISTER THEIR SIM CARDS TO INDIVIDUALS YOU CAN MOVE TO ANOTHER NETWORK WITH YOUR NUMBER BUT STILL THE COMPANY HAS YOUR DETAILS. ONE THING FOR SURE IS IN THE UK THE REPUTABLE PHONE CAMPANIES DON’T SALE SIM CARDS LIKE SWEETS, EVEN IN THE US THAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE I HAD. THE GUY WHO BOUGHT FOUR SIM CARDS YOU MUST BE A CROOK, WHAT DO YOU NEED 4 SIM CARDS FOR?

  6. MADAM, I LOVE YOUR ALMOST NATURAL HAIR. I HOPE THAT’S HOW YOU ALWAYS KEEP IT. IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, TOO. ARTIFICIAL HAIR MAKES BLACKS LOOK A BIT ST*PID AND UN CONF*DENT.

    • And well dressed as well, not buchenda bwaambaa, ubu bwaisako, amabelee na matanta mbilibili… She is dressed properly, a proper camisole sheilding her bonitas properly. This is how women should dress mwe…. Slaatish naicila…

  8. Guys lets enjoy the company of white girls but when it comes to marriage, black girl will do. I don’t know about you, but white girls feel good with me and i like it. Lets Hammer them in a good bad way. They enjoy that!!

  9. Why all these today on a Monday, there was Mizinga now this Mudenda sexy, people need to be productive… not just wiping off semen from computer screens!!

  10. “…the registration of sim cards is to ensure that the country is prepared for global trends stating that it would be unfortunate for the country not to participate in international best practices”.

    This explanation leaves me scratching my head. How does having one’s simcard registered prepare the authorities for global trends? So the UK and USA where simcards are NOT registered will be “left behind global trends”? When you get explanations like this from the authorities, it leaves one thinking “no wonder pipo are suspicious”!

  11. the registration of sim cards is to ensure that the country is prepared for global trends stating that it would be unfortunate for the country not to participate in international best practices…………is this a reason enough sure?

  15. SIM card registration fyabusushifye! Ine my card is registered because I’m on contract with my service provider. If it were pay as you go (PAYG) awe nakalya, ma top up fye epo ndefwaila!

  16. Do you call this lady beautiful? guys be serious i cant see any beaut on this lady she is just fat come and see my wife thats when you ll say she is actually not beautiful…for registration of sim i also have a mixed feeling about it just like i have on Male Circumcision God help us

  20. Mps are used to hiding their mischieve, hence the reluctancy to go SIM registration… If you are a clean fella why fear. Mps just own up and register. And for some of you who haven’t been to MC, please do it now. We need to reduce this HIV thing in the country.

  21. @No.14 Do not cheat people. If you are in UK as the flag is, there is nothing that can go unnoticed. If you get a Pay-As-You-go as an option to a contract phone, you are still under the eye through the top up you make. They are cleverer more than you. They can know where you are calling from and even identify your simcard through your top up. Its just nonsensical that we can still be discussing this issue when we know that it is inevitable. Whether you have dictators in Africa it should not be the reason why you can’t protect communities from bad people. There are surely bad people out there, so bad than dictators! Do not base your argument on dictatorship of a president or on styles of African leaders. Base arguments on technological ramifications. Security masses is paramount.

  23. Ba Jack Mwimbu, i thought the fact that you have been in politics (MP), town clerk, etc, you’ve been exposed quit alot to understand the reason for SIM registration. If you the area MP cant understand this, how can you followers understand that? Come boss, just here in SA they do have what they call RICA for the sim registration. No wonder it will take ages for our country to develop because of of such dull leaders.

  24. You MPs what are you fearing kansi??? Always ranting and ranting. Just register , we are tired of your childish rants….Atese imwe. Shaaaa.

    Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.

  25. Don’t register your SIM cards. PF is a backward, uncivilized and tribal gov’t. How can you trust a govt in which the President can get personal Bank account details of his opponent and broadcast them to the whole world. If it were in a civilised country like the USA the dude would have been impeached. Even a Medical Doctor would face deregistration if he were to reveal my medical records to someone without my express permission. We need Data Protection legislation before we give these bunkums our SIM card details.

  26. When are people going to wake up this argument about this exercise being for our own security is flawed and does not hold water…ask yourself how countries without registration still manage combat crime. 
    Wake up!!

  27. i still dont understand the fuss. look as long as you are using a service provider, your secrets are not safe. wether you register or you dont, the service provider knows what you are doing. these chaps read our texts, overhear our conversations, the see our mms photos etc, the choice is all yours anyway, if you want dont register your sim and get disconnected and stay without a phone. afterall Donald Trump does not posses a cell phone but look at him

  28. I am left wondering at the caliber of our MP’s and what they do in parliament when the ICT Act was being debated and inacted the participated in the debates just 2009 and today they should raise suspicions am baffled…

    • That should tell you that these chaps do not go to Parliament to represent the people that voted for them, but their own selfish motives. Jack and Request were probably dozing when the ICT ACT was being debated. 

  29. The question is why should you register?conforming to international standards or practice is not a good answer. The political climate in Zambia and africa as a whole is bad and it is very clear some govts are so determined to silence people and using mobile phones people’s communication can be intercepted unnecessarily,that’s a breach of human rights moreover this govt cannot be trusted to safely store details of millions of people’s copies of ID’s,why do you need your NRC,work permit etc to register,it should take just a name and address to register

    • JIGGA my nigga, with due respect, please read your post again and again then, think about what you’re saying. Am sure, you’ll see that, you made absolutely NO sense. None!

  30. Even our MPs are this dull? I have nothing more to say about this issue. Ya’ll already know my opinion on this. #wekeepitmoving#

    But ba ZICTA director aba, yaaaaa ubusuma, pure african woman. Attractive indeed.

  31. Ba masalada; you are just contradicting yourself so what’s the point of registering when the service provider has all the tech to pinpoint you. This is scheme was initially spearheaded by these selfsame service providers the lobbied our sleepy politicians we have in Zambia who have a one sided version of issues (when we are using 3 D) to undertake this exercise as it is the easiest way for them to carry out a market research on the very cheap.
    As for Donald Trump yes he has no mobile phone as he has a personal assistant and a team to answer his phones.
    Wake up! 

  32. The thing is that people do not know how sophisticated and powerful that device the take for granted everyday is and how backward this scheme is. There is technology out there that can turn your phone into a mic and camera for someone to eavesdrop on you. 
    This exercise is unnecessary and your details can not be entrusted with this calibre of leaders who have no respect for authority themselves like the Winter Kabimba & Co of this world.
    Wake up people wake up you will regret this…

  33. Unregistered simcard have a nasty habit of being abused and leaving little or not trace…undue usage of simcards fraud / bribery / impersonation / slander / corruption / adultery etc. Abuse of human rights if any by GRZ you can start by suing your service provider Airtel/MTN/Zamtel for breach of contract for releasing your call log/account details to GRZ unless GRZ has a warrant of course. Jack Mwiimbu a lawyer should know better and as an MP/lawmaker it is disgraceful. Registration is a double edged sword that can also be used to trace activities of corrupt or crooked PF officials too. Bottom line the Pros outweigh the Cons unless you have plenty to hide or lose.

  34. Strange words come from UPND. Even sim registration for them has to be resisted. Globally sims are being registered. Just wait, a time is coming when those not registered will have access denied on their hand-helds!

  35. @10, Ulemona:
    Exactly my thoughts! The lady has not given a convincing explanation for the need to register the sim cards! I have been left with a very uncomfortable feeling that perhaps there is some ulterior motive, and am wishing I had waited before registering my sim card!

  36. recently I was in Australia, Mozambique and now Malaysia in all these countries I had to register my simcard. fortunately Zambia isn’t known to have international terrorist but foreign elements can enter Zambia use our own networks to coordinate attacks and leave no trace. People should look at the bigger picture PF will not be in power forever but Zambia and protecting its people will. Trading national security off for the human rights of a few people who perceive themselves political threats to the govt of the day is a breach of a nations human rights. 

  37. @The Real Steel
    So terrorists would enter Zambia just to come and use our networks Hahaha…you underestimate our sophisticated these guys are; even in countries that do register its just as easy to obtain SIM Cards.
    Wake up

  38. In South Africa forexample, you can not buy a phone without having a traceable residential address and either as resident or permanent citizen. This is Law. even shop owners before you buy a phone they will ask you provide proof of resident. So If Law makers are acting like people that are not learnened, it is unfortunate, criminals can buy a phone on a street commit a crime and dump a phone without tracing that is to minimize such acts. ZICTA just instruct ZAMTEL, CELL Z MTN and other network providers, to block all sim and until people re-register, as simple as that. Dont waste time to argue with fools MPS.

  39. Ba General.
    Do you honestly think the networks will happily seat quietly and block all their unregistered SIM cards!!hahaha  and risk losing customers to their competitors and their bottom line in the process. I dare ZICTA to issue that directive and see how far it will go….this is a game of chicken ..wake up…. consumers in Zambia are very docile and do not really know how much they have over these networks.
    Wake up

  40. Those opposing this exercise are funny, yet you are here all the time blogging…Do you really think you are safe here under your pseudonyms? You must be joking me right! You have no idea how technology has advanced and to what extent everyhody is watching everybody!!!!You are free to give information freely on FB, Twitter, Linkage, all the social media that is there, you are on it, even put your phone numbers on FB, not knowing you are indirectly registering your sim some how. Ha ha ha…All the cyber foot prints you leave whenever you like anything on the social media! Even better when you synchronise your FB, Twitter and your email address for convenient sake… ha ha ha …You have profiled yourself for Uncle Sam on FB for free, why not do it for your country kanshi?:d

  41. @Jay Jay
    stop being petty and look at the bigger picture or maybe you are one of those who partakes or enjoys the mischief that comes with cellphones.

  42. Do not worry, I have registered all the Sims that I have bought here in Canada, because you have to somehow, even when you are buying a sim from a katemba like store, they want your ID or Credit card, what do you think they are asking for? And I have no problems, I have also registered my sim back there in Zambia, nobody is killing me so far. So bane, if you are not a thief, or do not engage yourself in anything sinister, you should not be afraid to follow the regulations. To a person buying 3 to 4 sim cards at once, what are they for? Nimwebo ba JASON Bourne? for covert operations? Do not let anyone sow a seed of paranoid personality disorders, research and have understanding before you start rejecting things…Knowledge is power, school yourselves in technology and be equipped.

  43. Ba Alex 
    I have nothing to hide i know that your post is indirectly directed at me  and those who are opposing this pointless ridiculous scheme.Signing up to social media is a plainly a voluntary scheme no one holds a gun to your head to to do it….you have a choice.

    Wake up! 

  44. The Real Steel 
    In your book anybody who opposes is subsequently hiding something….why don’t  you ask probing questions to this ZICTA managing director Margaret like how countries like Britain manage their pay-as go mobiles without the need for registering yet they are at a higher risk from mobile phone related crime and terrorist attack.
     C’mon people lets not give these guys an easy ride all the time let them earn their salaries….this scheme is pointless.
    Wake up ….good afternoon, good morning, good evening and good bye!!!!!!!!!

  45. The MPs are very dull go to Tanzania,Kenya, Sudan everywhere u register sims why are they trying to incite people for their appetite for power, wakeup u fake people’s representatives. For this one you have shown your ignorance and dullness.

    • People are obsessed with tribe in this country. She is not even Tonga, she’s Bemba and her maiden name is Chalwe. She’s married to a Tonga. But why do we always want to link tribe to anything and everything?

  47. #16, YOU CAN’T HER BEAUTIFUL SHE’S ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHERE YOU CAN’T TOUCH AND FEEL HER FEATURES SINCE YOU ARE BLIND.

  49. #2, #3, and others you have made a point. Just think about it, when you get a National Registration card, you get finger printed. Has anybody complained about that? In as good as it is to have ALL zambians finger printed, so should it be to have the phone SIM cards registered. It is for our own good as a nation. This kind of information is good to have handy in the invent that an investigation of some sort is to be carried out on some individuals. There all sorts of crime being comitted nowadays which may need referencing phone usage by those being investigated. Let’s support the effort being put across.

  52. Madam? you are saying we need to register bcoz most developed countries are doing so?Dont just follow blindly,reason with wat you are doing.Other countries are doing it while others are not doing it,the question is why are those countries registering doing so?why are those not registering not doing so?You dont just follow,give us a good reason.

  53. Ba Floyd Chitalu, olo ni Chilatu, #21, amaboys kuti bakusanga through what they call “triangulation” to pin-point your location by use of up to three phone towers. But ngolechita top up na cash, it is a bit more difficult than na credit or debit card. Iyi issue, ba Pama Fi tabailondolwelefye bwino. Olo ama boys ku GCHQ ku Gloucester ngabalekufwaya kuti bakumfwila ka conversation konse nangu ulikwisakwisa olo kuMpika!

  55. The Zambian mind would rather talk about a photo of a woman who is already married than debate the important topic. This is why you will never develop easily distracted by objects like monkeys in the Zoo. 

  57. Or states fighting terrorism. It is unnecessary inconvenience. Zambia is not USA and we are not fighting the Taliban or Moslim Fundamentalists. It is nonsense found in Arab Countries.

  58. i can see the majority of you are very ignorant of this exercise. for your own information, i have friends from the OP who have told me what they are doing with this data collected by cell phone providers. and if you think the pf government are not using this, wait until they invade your privacy. you will regret having supported this exercise. very soon, it will be difficult for those opposing the pf government to communicate because this will be monitored by op. Jack Mwimbu has friends in the op, so he knows what he is talking about.

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