Nansana youths spend nights on flats in search of free internet

Several storied buildings in Nansana Municipality mostly along Hoima Road are a bee hive of activities during night hours. A number of youths are seen on the top most level of these building every evening. Out of curiosity, this reporter tried to check out what goes on the buildings in the night hours since most businesses close by 9. 00pm.

Early this week, this reporter climbed the building next to Ave Maria Supermarket only to find dozens of youths busy on their phones, each minding their own businesses. Each of the youths could be seen surfing or typing on their smartphones. The reporter approached one of the youths identified as Davis Jjunju to inquire what was going on.    

"It’s free internet just get where you stand and surf,” Jjunju said and continued on his phone. Some of the youths started leaving after about 30 minutes as others made their way in. Some of the youths stay on the building past midnight.    

Mr Mike Matovu said the youths on the buildings are ever surfing MYUG internet, which is offered by the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U). Matovu asserts that given the fact that youths at times don’t have money to buy internet bundles, they take advantage of the free internet in the area.    

“The youths converge in the area when it starts to become dark till late in the night so that they get a chance to interact with their colleagues on social media channels like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Snapchat on top of downloading music and other videos,” he said.  

Mr Ibrahim Ntengerize, another youth moves with a portable chair, which he uses whenever he goes out surfing on the buildings. According to Ntengerize, he likes using the internet given the fact that it does not even require Over The Top (OTT) tax, which makes a great deal.   

Mr Jonathan Tumusiime, another user and student at Kyambogo University noted that he basically uses the free internet for research as he downloads content, which he reads later offline when he returns home. He explains that they climb the buildings where connectivity is faster and better. 

“It is better to stuff on the buildings than mingling in the street where one’s phone can be easily grabbed. The idea of free internet provided by government is brilliant, it should be extended to many areas to ease communication at a free cost,” he said.

According to Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), there is an estimated 18 million internet users in Uganda, most of them mobile users. While internet access has over the years become more affordable particularly for mobile phone users, it is still costly for majority of Ugandans.  

However, to ensure that Ugandans remain connected, NITA-U introduced free wireless internet services between 6.00pm and 6.00am during weekdays and Saturday from 3.00 pm to Monday at 6.00 am. The free wireless internet was first installed in Kampala central business district in 2017 and was later extended to cover several other spots within the capital and neighbouring Wakiso District.

Mr Arnold Mangeni, an official at NITA-U noted that the internet can only be given out during night hours and over the weekends simply because during the day it is being used by several government entities to run their businesses. Mangeni however said NITA-U is working closely to ensure that this free internet reaches a wide area.  

“It is unfortunate that youths are spending nights up there. But soon they will be enjoying this internet from their comfort zones. There is an upcoming program of extending this service beyond where it stops today,” he said.