Tangled wires, tangled priorities: Uganda’s underground, overhead infrastructure mess

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OPINION

By Patricia K. Litho

I have a passion for infrastructure and a mild tolerance for tangled wires.

If you have recently glanced upward in Kampala or just tried to walk down a road without tripping on a rogue wire, you have probably asked yourself:

“What is going on with Uganda’s cables and poles?”

In towns across the country, the race to connect Ugandans to the internet, TV and mobile services is in full swing. But with great connectivity comes great cable chaos.

Overhead and perhaps underground, Uganda’s infrastructure is being poked, prodded and pierced in a way that would make even a porcupine wince.

From television and internet cables slung across trees like Christmas decorations, to data lines straddling open drains and poles squeezed in so tightly next to electricity lines, you would think our infrastructure is having a serious identity crisis. And it is no joke. In many places, telecom companies are planting their poles right next to electricity distribution poles, sometimes barely a boot’s width apart.

This close-quarter installation may save a few shillings in digging costs, but it compromises the integrity of both poles. With the base of electric poles weakened, there is a higher risk of collapse in strong winds or heavy rain. And sadly, there have been reports of telecom technicians being electrocuted during such installations.

It is as though each infrastructure player is working on a different radio frequency, ironic, considering most of them are in the business of communication.

It begs the question: Why aren’t infrastructure players, electricity providers, telecoms and regulators talking to each other?

Why don’t we have a co-ordinated national infrastructure sharing plan that promotes safety, order and cost effectiveness?

Uganda has numerous regulatory agencies, but one wonders if they speak to each other. When poles are being erected under live power lines or cables laid on sidewalks without signage, it is clear that health and safety are still taking a back seat. And while we are at it, let us talk about the right of way.

In the electricity sector, there is a well-established practice of securing right-of way agreements with landowners before any infrastructure is installed. There are even compensation guidelines. But some telecom operators appear to have adopted the “dig first, apologise later” model; if they ask permission at all.

Many landowners wake up to find a pole sprouting like a weed in their compound or cables hugging their rooftop. This not only leads to conflict, but further undermines the credibility of infrastructure development in Uganda.

So, what can be done? For starters, the regulators need to regulate and co-ordinate. Ministries, authorities and utility providers should agree on an integrated national infrastructure blueprint. This should include pole sharing, safe distances, unified mapping and proper scheduling.

Secondly, public sensitisation is key. If you are a landowner, you have the right to demand proper documentation before a pole is planted in your compound. If you are a technician, remember: No job is worth risking your life. And if you are a regulator, please intervene.

Finally, can we agree as a country that the solution to digital inclusion should not come at the cost of safety exclusion?

Let us not connect Ugandans to the internet by first disconnecting them from basic safety protocols. Because as much as we love fast Wi-Fi and crystal-clear TV, we would prefer our poles upright, our cables tidy, and our technicians alive.

The writer is Assistant Commissioner, Communication, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development