By Uganda is set to overhaul its e-waste management framework to match the country’s fast-changing digital landscape, with plans to establish refurbishment centers and regional collection points for obsolete electronics.
Addressing the Validation Engagement for Policies and Regulations for ICT Authorization and E-Waste Management with COMESA officials at Golden Tulip Hotel, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, said the country’s 2012 e-waste policy is undergoing review to reflect advances in technology and rising volumes of discarded devices.
Latest
Electrician Arrested Over Vandalism of Power Lines in Luweero
Pharmacy Students Petition Parliament Over ‘Illegal’ Pre-Internship Exams
51 Individuals Pick Nomination Forms to Become Uganda’s Next President–EC
Mary Karooro Okurut, Scholar-Politician and Literary Pioneer, Dies at 70
Police Deny Abduction Claims, Say Ssetuba Derrick Was Arrested Over Fraud
13 Arrested in Kagadi for Forging Academic Papers in UPDF Recruitment
FDC Accuses EC of Bias, Calls for Fixed Election Dates
Australia to recognise Palestinian state in September
“From bulky mobile phones to compact smartphones, technology has transformed rapidly. We must ask ourselves where these obsolete gadgets end up and how we are protecting the environment from their impact,” Dr. Zawedde said.
She noted that Uganda already has guidelines in place, developed in collaboration with NEMA, UCC, KCCA, the Ministry of Lands, and the Ministry of Water and Environment, but enforcement is hampered by limited investment in recycling infrastructure.
The government’s new approach will see KCCA identify e-waste collection points in the city, which will serve as drop-off hubs for old computers, servers, and other electronics. These will then be assessed for refurbishment — turning them into affordable devices for students and communities — or disposed of safely.
“A refurbished computer can serve a student for three to five years at a fraction of the cost of a new one. This not only reduces e-waste but also expands access to technology and creates jobs,” she explained.
Uganda’s plan aligns with wider COMESA and SADC regional efforts to address the environmental risks of digital waste. Dr. Zawedde warned that without urgent action, the country could soon face “waste we cannot control” as digitisation accelerates.
The Ministry has prioritised refurbishment under National Development Plan 4, with expectations that the initiative will tackle three major issues — environmental protection, affordable device access, and employment generation in the ICT sector.
