Uganda moves to protect telecom infrastructure as critical national assets

President Yoweri Museveni has declared telecom towers as critical national infrastructure and ordered enhanced security measures during a high-level meeting with American Tower Uganda (ATC Uganda) and ICT officials. The directive includes integrating tower surveillance with national security systems and stricter legal consequences for vandals, including denial of bail. 

The President’s announcement follows concerns over rising tower vandalism disrupting connectivity. He urged telecom firms to install tamper-proof materials and cameras while pledging government support to electrify over 1,000 remote tower sites currently operating off-grid. 

ATC Uganda CEO, Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda highlighted the company’s UGX 4.5 trillion investment in Uganda’s digital infrastructure and its economic impact, including monthly payments of UGX 55 million to local landlords hosting towers. She emphasized the need for public-private collaboration to expand power access to remote sites, a move President Museveni endorsed as beneficial for both connectivity and rural electrification. 

Uganda Communications Commission Executive Director George William Nyombi Thembo reinforced the call for stronger infrastructure policies to safeguard the sector’s growth. 

By:  Kanto Kai Okanta