Uganda's Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, visited the Buhadyo Smart Village in Butaleja District on Saturday to assess the country's pilot digital infrastructure project. According to Nile Post, the visit included a tour of Buhadyo Primary School and connected households, accompanied by the head of the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda and local leaders.
The Smart Village Initiative is a collaborative effort between the ministry, NITA-U, Huawei, and Airtel. As reported by Nile Post, the programme has linked the government-aided primary school and 25 local homes to solar energy and online networks. This setup allows the institution to run digital classrooms and computers, enabling students to engage in interactive sessions with peers at Nakasero Primary School in Kampala and exchange learning resources.
During the review, Lumumba stated that the project shows the value of bringing digital links to isolated areas. She noted that the school, which previously struggled to maintain functional computers, is now integrated into the national digital framework. The Minister indicated that the government plans to expand the scheme across the country, using Buhadyo as the initial test case to close the gap between urban and rural development.
Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, the top official at NITA-U, explained that the National Backbone Infrastructure acts as the nation's central digital network. He stated that the Smart Village scheme pushes this connection to the final destination, tying schools and clinics to the global digital market. Mugasa emphasized that the effort aims to use renewable solar energy to energize neglected communities and boost public service provision.
Regional representatives also voiced backing for the project's growth. James Waluswaka, the local Member of Parliament, expressed gratitude to the administration for choosing Buhadyo as the test site. He urged the expansion of the scheme to additional educational and medical facilities throughout the district. He was joined by district officials, including Elvis Were, the LC5 Chairperson, who inspected the connected sites alongside the ministerial team.