Stakeholders meet to fight vandalism on ICT infrastructure
Left to Right: Director for industry and content development at UCC Julian Mweheire, Director of ICT at Uganda Police Force Yusuf Sewanyana, Assistant DPP Lino Anguzu, and head of legal and compliance at UCC, Dr Abdu Salam Waiswa, speak during a panel discussion in Kampala on April 8, 2024. PHOTO/KARIM MUROBO
What you need to know:
- Recently the country amended and tightened the penalties for those who will be found culpable of vandalising electricity infrastructure. They will be fined between Shs400m and Shs1b or be jailed for 15 years or both.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and ATC Uganda, a provider of services that speed network deployment for the wireless and broadcast communications industry, have decried the impact of vandalism on ICT and related infrastructure in the country.
In recent years, Uganda has experienced a concerning rise in vandalism incidents directed at crucial telecom infrastructure, posing serious threats to both national development and public safety.
Dr Aminah Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, said vandalism of ICT infrastructure is undermining the integrity of the sector.
“There is need for collaboration between public and private sectors to protect telecom infrastructure. Sustained growth and integration of ICT depend on robust infrastructure investments from both sides,” she said during a stakeholders meeting in Kampala yesterday.
Mr Nyombi Thembo, the executive director of Uganda Communications Commission, said vandalism threatens the country’s connectivity.
“The surge in incidents of vandalism targeting critical telecom infrastructure is very concerning. These acts pose serious threats to both national development and public safety,” he said.
He called upon relevant government authorities to designate all ICT infrastructure as critical national infrastructure and set stringent laws to deter vandals from sabotaging the sector.
According to Ms Dorothy Kabagambe, the chief executive officer of ATC Uganda, the Stakeholder Forum on Vandalism aims to mobilise collective action and forge partnerships to safeguard the integrity of the country’s ICT infrastructure.
“Critical infrastructure forms the backbone of our daily lives, impacting health, safety, security, and economic prosperity. Any disruption or destruction of these systems has grave consequences. As stewards of Uganda’s progress, we must safeguard these vital assets,” she said, adding: “Telecom infrastructure is our lifeline. Let us fortify it against vandalism.”
For instance, it emerged that Umeme, the biggest power distribution company in the country, on average, loses $1,200 (Shs4.4m) per minute in case there is an interruption in the electricity supply due to vandalism of its infrastructure.
The power distributor said the financial losses they are incurring are on the high side for the country.
“When power goes off, we lose a lot of money from people who should be buying electricity, which is about $1200 per minute. When people are not using power, we lose money,” Mr Allan Rwakakooko, the head of legal services at Umeme, told the stakeholders.
Statistics show that Umeme lost about $2.2 billion in the last five years in maintenance costs for the replacement of equipment which were vandalized and stolen.
Further, last year, the country recorded an increase in the number of cases of vandalism with 175 cases registered between 2021 and 2022.
Cost of replacement
According to Umeme, for every tower vandalised, the government spends about Shs200b to replace the same.
Umeme with a total number of about 1.6 million customers, according to Mr Rwakakooko, has been receiving reports of people stealing transformer oil which is being used as fuel in restaurants for cooking and cosmetics.
In an interview with this publication yesterday, Mr Denis Kakonge, the director of legal at Airtel Uganda, said the company is experiencing vandalism at different sites but did not quantify the impact of the vice.
Central to the forum’s agenda is the discussion on designating telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, a measure aimed at deterring vandalism through a robust legal and operational framework.
The forum provides a platform for stakeholders to align strategies with Uganda’s digital vision and the digital transformation roadmap, emphasising the critical role of ICT in driving socioeconomic progress and achieving national development goals.
Penalty of vandalism
Recently the country amended and tightened the penalties for those who will be found culpable of vandalising electricity infrastructure. They will be fined between Shs400m and Shs1b or be jailed for 15 years or both.
