Uganda's plan for a backup internet route through Tanzania turns into a deal to run a state fibre line

L2Who’s affected

UETCL previously leased the fibre to four telecom firms; the Auditor General reported long-outstanding receivables, including Shs10 billion owed by UTL/UTCL, Shs8 billion by Sky Dot Com and Shs7 billion by Hamilton Telecom (Monitor).

L3Why it’s quiet

Analysis · OVERLOOKED Procurement details surfaced through documents obtained by one Ugandan newspaper. We did not find coverage by the 13 major U.S. outlets.

L4Deeper impact

Energy Minister Monica Musenero's July 27 letter directed UETCL chief executive Richard Matsiko to "terminate" procurement of a commercial partner to manage the fibre and directly engage Samanga with Liquid Telecommunications. Insiders told the Monitor the procurement had been meant to address spiralling debt. Samanga chief executive George Nkya said "internet between Uganda and Tanzania is already flowing," referring questions to the Foreign Affairs ministry; the Monitor found little record of that beyond a 2023 NITA-U/TTCL memorandum of understanding (Monitor).

L5Full context

NITA-U executive director Hatwib Mugasa said Uganda's National Backbone Infrastructure already reaches the Mutukula border and that for other fibres "you have to speak to the responsible agencies." The backbone was built in phases beginning with a $106 million China EXIM Bank loan acquired in 2006, with a later $75 million World Bank-funded phase. Museveni also suggested using the fibre along the East African Crude Oil Pipeline corridor (Monitor).

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