RURA clarifies on critical national security task

The head of the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), Regis Gatarayiha, on Wednesday had to spell out what exactly are, or will be, the agency’s national security related responsibilities, during the ongoing scrutiny of the draft of the amended law for RURA.This came in the wake of Hon. Emmanuel Mudidi, a member of the lower chamber’s Committee on Economy and Trade seeking clarity on the matter.During the review of article 25 of the bill which highlights the duties of one of the agency’s divisions, it was noted that RURA is also partly charged with putting into consideration some aspects of national security. Mudidi suggested that the section of the clause on national security needed to be clearly defined.“I think we should define this security and not just leave it as such to imply that perhaps they are taking on the responsibilities of the police. What kind of security is this? Is it security in the service area?” he wanted to know. “Taking charge of security, in the resolutions taken, means that the board in charge cannot make a decision giving a license permitting to operate in the telecommunication sector of Rwanda, to al-Qaeda, or give it to al-Shabaab,” Gatarayiha observed.The Committee on economy and trade which is responsible for issues like infrastructure, energy, water, mines and quarries, transportation of persons, commodities, posts and communications, is scrutinising the bill after the Chamber of Deputies approved a new proposal for a draft law governing RURA, last November.Once passed, the new legislation will replace the 2001 law regulating RURA. The bill seeks to give the agency powers to regulate broadcast and internet-based media, and postal services.An explanatory note on the bill states that within the context of the domestic and global changes in all the regulated sectors, particularly the communications sector, dictated by technological changes, the ICT sector of Rwanda has exhibited great potential. “The current infrastructure layouts, the growth in services and service delivery mechanisms, the transformation in the broadcasting sector dictated by the ITU 2015 commitment, our adoption of NICI III which is centred on service and applications development and the change in policy for broadcasting and media regulation, all represent manifestations for an urgent change of the regulatory law,” reads part of the explanatory note.It is noted that the law creating RURA, as it is today, is not substantially adequate to cater for the sweeping changes without effecting some major amendments.Among the many changes being discussed, in article 1 of the bill, under the new provision titled “Purpose of this Law”, the entity for regulation is written as “Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority” replacing “Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency.” The Meaning and Scope of “Public Utilities” is expanded to include, information technology, broadcasting, the internet and media, postal services, renewable and non-renewable energy, and industrial gases and vessels.

National

RURA clarifies on critical national security task