President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged to classify telecommunications towers as critical national infrastructure, a move aimed at curbing rampant vandalism that has disrupted communication and service delivery across Uganda.
The President committed during a meeting at State House Entebbe with officials from American Tower Corporation Uganda (ATC Uganda), led by Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
ATC Uganda, a subsidiary of the American Tower Corporation, is a major player in Uganda’s telecom infrastructure sector, operating over 4,500 towers shared by providers such as MTN and Airtel.
To strengthen security, President Museveni proposed integrating telecom towers into the national surveillance system. “I will instruct the police to connect surveillance cameras on telecom towers to our existing national security network. These cameras will allow for zonal oversight and real-time monitoring from command centres,” he said.
The President also called for stiffer penalties for vandals, suggesting legal reforms to deny bail to those caught sabotaging national infrastructure. “If we include legal administrative orders to deny bail to such criminals, it will serve as a strong deterrent,” he added.
He further urged telecom companies to play their part by installing cameras and reinforcing tower sites using tamper-proof materials such as concrete.
“Install cameras at your cost, and if possible, use materials that are unattractive to vandals. Concrete poles, for example, make it harder for thieves to climb or dismantle,” he advised.
In response, ATC Uganda CEO Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda expressed gratitude for the President’s support and affirmed the company’s commitment to national development. “Your Excellency, we are committed to securing our towers and supporting Uganda’s growth. This can be done,” she assured.
Highlighting the company’s impact, Ms. Kabagambe revealed that ATC Uganda has invested Shs 4.5 trillion in tower infrastructure and collaborates with over 5,000 landlords who earn Shs 55 million monthly, boosting rural incomes and livelihoods.
She also appealed for government support in extending electricity to the remaining 1,000 off-grid tower sites.
“We’ve already invested Shs 120 billion to connect towers to the grid and extended over 2,200 kilometres of power lines. Electrifying the remaining sites, which are in remote areas, will require an additional 10 to 15 kilometres of grid extension in some places,” she explained.
She proposed including telecom towers in Uganda’s rural electrification plans, stating that electrifying towers also benefits nearby communities, powering schools, health centres, and local government offices.
President Museveni welcomed the proposal. “I totally agree—and that, we shall do,” he affirmed.
Ms. Kabagambe concluded by emphasising ATC Uganda’s deep local roots. “Though our shareholders are in Boston, this company is built by Ugandans for Uganda,” she noted, while also calling for stronger legal frameworks and closer partnerships to protect and grow Uganda’s telecom infrastructure.
Also present at the meeting was George William Nyombi Thembo, Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).