Uganda Advances Coordinated ICT E-Waste Management Through Cross-Ministerial Visit
Rather than being immediately discarded, many devices are repaired, refurbished, and resold, contributing to affordability, job creation, and skills development within Uganda’s growing informal technology sector.
The Ministry of ICT & National Guidance, Uganda, has reported a high-level multi-ministerial visit to Cornerstone Plaza in downtown Kampala to assess how ICT e-waste is managed across both informal and formal systems. The visit was led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, alongside Permanent Secretaries from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Works and Transport.
The delegation engaged directly with local ICT repair and refurbishment ecosystems, gaining first-hand insights into how discarded electronic devices are processed. Rather than being immediately discarded, many devices are repaired, refurbished, and resold, contributing to affordability, job creation, and skills development within Uganda’s growing informal technology sector.
The inspection also formed part of Uganda Communications Commission’s ongoing ICT e-waste collection project, which aims to strengthen national systems for responsible electronics disposal and recovery.
Dr. Zawedde emphasized that ICT e-waste management requires a coordinated, whole-of-government approach. She noted that different ministries play complementary roles, with the Office of the Prime Minister guiding the national framework, the Ministry of ICT providing technical oversight and standards including data sanitization, while the Ministry of Water and Environment ensures environmental compliance. The Ministry of Lands contributes through planning and land use, and the Ministry of Works supports logistics and infrastructure development.
She added that this integrated approach is essential to building a structured and sustainable e-waste management system that spans the full value chain, from collection to safe processing and environmental protection.
