Ministry of ICT, NITA-U tour Smart Village Pilot in Butaleja
Buhadhyo is the pilot site for the Smart Village Initiative, a collaboration involving the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, NITA-U, Huawei and Airtel.
Minister Kasule Lumumba addresses residents during the tour. (Courtesy)
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The Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, has commended efforts to connect Buhadhyo Primary School and 25 households to solar power and the internet.
The minister was speaking recently during the visit of Buhadhyo Smart Village in Butaleja District, accompanied by the Executive Director of the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U), Dr Hatwib Mugasa, and local leaders.
She explained that solar-powered smart classrooms and 25 connected households demonstrate a model for expanding digital access to 300 underserved villages.
Buhadhyo is the pilot site for the Smart Village Initiative, a collaboration involving the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, NITA-U, Huawei and Airtel.
The initiative seeks to improve education, healthcare and livelihoods in unserved and underserved communities by extending clean energy and digital connectivity to schools, health centres and homes.
The Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba accompanied by the Executive Director of the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U), Dr Hatwib Mugasa, and local leaders during the tour. (Courtesy)
With solar-powered infrastructure supported by Huawei, Buhadhyo Primary School now has computers, internet access and smart classroom technology.
Pupils can access digital learning materials and participate in interactive learning sessions with Nakasero Primary School in Kampala, helping to narrow the educational gap between rural and urban schools.
Lumumba said the transformation at Buhadhyo demonstrated the possibilities that emerge when reliable power and connectivity reach remote communities. She emphasised the Government's commitment to using digital technology to advance rural socio-economic transformation and expand opportunities for underserved Ugandans.
“The Government’s longer-term objective is to extend the model to 300 unserved and underserved villages, using solar infrastructure and connections through the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) to strengthen digital inclusion and public service delivery,” Lumumba added.
“The National Backbone Infrastructure already runs across the country. The Smart Village program takes that connection to the last mile, to the schools, the health centres and the homes,” Dr Mugasa added.
He highlighted the opportunities for pupils and teachers at Buhadhyo to learn alongside schools elsewhere in Uganda, including through the live connection with Nakasero Primary School.
Dr Mugasa added that the initiative is intended to extend beyond education to sectors such as healthcare, supporting improved delivery of essential services in underserved areas.
Local leaders welcomed the investment. The Area Member of Parliament, Eng. James Waluswaka, hailed the Government for selecting Buhadhyo as the pilot site and called for the programme to reach more schools and health centres across Butaleja District.
He affirmed the community’s readiness to work with Government and NITA-U to protect and sustain the investment. The Minister also toured the school and some of the connected homes.