Three weeks ago we authored an article where the president was bitter with the bosses at the National Information Technology Authority NITA-U) who were reluctant to handover the National Backbone Infrastructure and e-Government Infrastructure (NBI/EGI) to Roward a UAE investor who is investing billions in the struggling UTCL.
The president who in a letter to the minister of ICT Dr Chris Baryomunsi revealed that he’s ready to go down with anyone who stands in his way to have the juicy NBI/EGI be given to Roward which will help the investor have a higher return on investment than competing with the two giants in the industry (MTN and Airtel) who have established a sweet loving duopoly full of friendship.
The bosses at NITA-U had been given less than three weeks to have the deal exchange hands or they’re booted by the head of state since Roward is set to sign the take over deal of Uganda Telecom Corporation Ltd soon but with the NBI/EGI in his hands as a monopoly.
Soliton Telmec a Kenyan company has been managing government’s National Backbone Infrastructure and the e-government services under the supervision of the NITA for years but this means the deal will come to an end with Roward with support of the president in the picture.
Solton Telmec early this threatened to shut down the e-government services over a debt amounting to over $17million from 2019 to date. Soliton Telmec through the government’s National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) manages e-services with URA, URSB, Bank of Uganda and the Immigration Department among other MDAs as it’s clients.
In a letter dated April 2, 2024, by Hamdi Ali Muhamed, CEO of Soliton Telmec Limited to the Executive Director of NITA-U, Dr Mugasa Hatwib urged for an urgent meeting to avert the looming shutdown.
Indeed the shutdown never happened and Soliton debt with government hasn’t been paid yet but reports suggest the president stopped the Ministry of Finance from paying Soliton Telmec until he understands this deal of awarding the deal to a Kenyan Company to manage government’s NBI and e-government services and it’s the reason he’s opting for Roward which will be investing over Shs800bn to revive the defunct Uganda Telecom which has been rebranded to Utel.
Dr Hatwib Mugasa the NITA-U boss in a July 16th Letter to the Executives of UTCL and Roward Capital Commercial Broker LLC confirmed readiness to handover the infrastructure as the president badly needs it to be done as soon as yesterday.
“Reference is made to the letter from the H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda dated 24th June, Ref: PO/2.0. Following the NBI Transition Strategy Workshop 16th July 2024, we wish to confirm our readiness to handover the NBI to Utel”-he wrote.
The NITA boss further indicated that they had also undertaken consultation with Kenyan Company, Soliton Telemec Ltd “who have also agreed to cooperate to ensure a smooth transition to Utel.”
NITA-U is, therefore, ready and willing to hand over the NBI to UTCL immediately or at such a time as you may appoint” the letter also copied to the ICT minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka and the Presidential Principal Private Secretary, Ms Gloria Asio further reads.
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