MWE Correspondent
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has renewed his call for governments across Africa to take direct control of core internet infrastructure, arguing that leaving the digital backbone in the hands of private investors drives costs higher and limits universal access.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kampala, Museveni said the rapid expansion of digital technology demands policies that ensure the internet remains affordable and accessible to all. He insisted that the state—not private actors—must own and safeguard the essential structures that keep national connectivity running.
According to Museveni, private ownership of major transmission networks often leads to monopolistic practices, with companies focusing on profit rather than public welfare. This, he said, is the key reason behind the high cost of data across the region. “When you let private interests run critical systems, their first goal is to maximise money. That is how the costs become unnecessarily high,” he said.
Museveni argued that governments should manage the fundamental backbone systems, while still allowing private service providers to operate within the digital ecosystem. He added that the state’s role is not to block innovation but to prevent a situation where essential services depend entirely on entities driven purely by commercial motives.
Also Read;Double Standards or Strategy? MWE Analyzes Western Human Rights Violations
Drawing from his past military experience, Museveni reflected on how technology has dramatically transformed operational efficiency. He recalled moments during Uganda’s liberation struggle when calculating firing distances had to be done manually. “In the past, I had to estimate the enemy’s distance with my own eyes. Today, modern devices give instant accuracy. Technology has changed everything,” he noted, using the example to highlight why digital infrastructure cannot be left vulnerable to uncontrolled private interests.
The president said his administration is committed to lowering internet costs, stressing that affordable data is critical to education, commerce, governance, and national security. He pointed to the country’s ongoing expansion of its national fibre-optic network as proof of this commitment. The project is designed to extend high-speed connectivity even to remote areas that have historically been excluded from digital development.
Museveni’s renewed stance comes at a time when countries worldwide are debating the future of digital sovereignty and public control of strategic digital assets. Advocates argue that internet systems, much like electricity grids or major transportation routes, are too important to be fully privatised. Critics, however, question whether state ownership could slow innovation or create bureaucratic bottlenecks.
