“Let’s work together and reduce our dependence on imported devices, especially from markets like China,” Dr. Baryomunsi added.
Uganda’s Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, has praised Kilimanjaro Telecom for taking the lead in advancing digital connectivity across the region.
He noted that offering an alternative route for internet access gives the business community a much-needed edge by providing a more stable and affordable internet for their daily operations.
Dr. Baryomunsi was speaking at a stakeholder meeting held on Tuesday at Serena Kampala Hotel, where a delegation from Tanzania joined Kilimanjaro Telecom leadership to explore new opportunities for collaboration with Ugandan companies.
“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,” said Dr. Baryomunsi.
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He also pointed to the need for more local production of digital devices to lower costs and expand access. He mentioned that Tanzania has already started producing some devices locally, and Uganda is assembling its own at the Namanve and Mbale industrial parks.
“Let’s work together and reduce our dependence on imported devices, especially from markets like China,” Dr. Baryomunsi added.
Tanzania’s Minister for ICT, Jerry Silaa, emphasized that closing the digital divide and improving connectivity across East Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa is critical for business growth. He is leading a two-day visit to Uganda with a delegation focused on developing partnerships and making use of shared resources to build stronger, more reliable digital infrastructure.
“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.
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Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, Executive Director at the National Information Technology Authority of Uganda (NITA-U), said the new route would help address long-standing challenges with last-mile connectivity and reliability. He noted that Uganda is currently working to expand fiber coverage to all 134 districts across the country.
“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 the internet to go down significantly,” Dr. Mugasa said.
Kilimanjaro Telecom CEO Alex Nkuyahaga said the company is committed to closing the digital gap across East Africa and ensuring fair pricing for all users. He added that operationalizing the Tanzania-Uganda corridor is a major step toward making the region more competitive and digitally resilient.
Julianne Mweheire, Director of Economic Regulation, Content and Consumer Affairs at the Uganda Communications Commission, also welcomed the partnership. She highlighted a recent study visit to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, where Ugandan officials learned about Tanzania’s regulatory model and digital licensing systems.