Africa-Press – Uganda. The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, has commended Kilimanjaro Telecom for its pioneering role in advancing digital connectivity across East Africa.
He emphasized that the introduction of an alternative internet route will give the business community a competitive advantage by providing more stable and affordable access for daily operations.
Dr. Baryomunsi made the remarks during a stakeholder meeting held today at Serena Kampala Hotel, attended by a Tanzanian delegation and Kilimanjaro Telecom leadership to explore new opportunities for cross-border collaboration.
“We need to build stronger partnerships and learn from one another as East African Community member states. This meeting is a strong reminder of how important it is to align our policies and regulations if we are to achieve meaningful digital connectivity across the region,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
He also called for increased local production of digital devices to reduce costs and expand access. While Uganda is assembling devices at industrial parks in Namanve and Mbale, he noted that Tanzania has already begun local manufacturing.
“Let’s work together and reduce our dependence on imported devices, especially from markets like China,” he added.
Tanzania’s Minister for ICT, Jerry Silaa, stressed the importance of bridging the digital divide and improving regional infrastructure to accelerate business growth.
Leading a two-day official visit to Uganda, Silaa and his delegation are seeking to deepen partnerships and leverage shared resources for a more resilient digital ecosystem.
“Our aim is to build a resilient network and expand bandwidth through the new route offered by Kilimanjaro Telecom. That’s how we’ll create a more stable and affordable internet backbone for the region,” Silaa said.
Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, Executive Director of the National Information Technology Authority of Uganda (NITA-U), said the route would help address longstanding issues with last-mile connectivity and service reliability.
He noted that Uganda is expanding its national fiber backbone to cover all 134 districts.
“This is coming at the right time. Many of our innovators are still struggling with expensive and unreliable internet. With new competition from this route, we expect the cost of internet to go down significantly,” Dr. Mugasa added.
Kilimanjaro Telecom CEO Alex Nkuyahaga reaffirmed the company’s commitment to narrowing the digital divide and promoting fair pricing across East Africa.
He said the operationalization of the Tanzania-Uganda corridor marks a crucial step toward enhancing the region’s digital resilience.
Julianne Mweheire, Director of Economic Regulation, Content and Consumer Affairs at the Uganda Communications Commission, also welcomed the initiative.
She referenced a recent study tour to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, where Ugandan officials gained insights into Tanzania’s digital licensing and regulatory frameworks.
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