Uganda's government has turned up the heat on the country's biggest telecommunications operators, demanding they confront a wave of consumer frustration over vanishing data bundles, unreliable networks and the rising cost of staying connected.
The concerns took centre stage at a high-level meeting convened in Kampala on November 5, 2026, by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Sanjay Tanna, alongside the State Minister for Trade, Wilson Mbadi. The session, held at the ministry's boardroom, brought together officials from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and representatives of major telecom companies, including MTN Uganda and Airtel Uganda.
Consumers at the Centre of the Debate
The gathering followed a surge in complaints from subscribers who say they are not getting fair value for their money. Among the issues on the table were persistent network disruptions, dropped calls and the widespread perception that airtime and data bundles are depleted or expire before customers can fully use them.
Also discussed were concerns about the commissioning and accessibility of mobile money agents, a key channel through which millions of Ugandans access financial services.
Chairing the engagement, Minister Tanna made the government's position clear: telecom companies must guarantee that consumers receive genuine value for every shilling spent on communication services.
A Push for Accountability
The meeting signals a more assertive stance from policymakers as public anger over service quality mounts. For many Ugandans, mobile phones are not a luxury but an essential tool for business, banking and staying in touch with family, making network reliability and fair pricing matters of daily survival.
The UCC, which regulates the sector, has faced repeated calls to tighten oversight of operators. Consumer groups have long argued that vague bundle terms and sudden data exhaustion leave subscribers feeling shortchanged, with little recourse when services fall short.
Telecom representatives at the meeting are expected to respond to the government's concerns, though no immediate commitments were announced. The outcome of the talks will be watched closely by millions of subscribers who rely on these networks every day.
For now, the message from the ministry is unambiguous: the era of unexplained data loss and unreliable connectivity must come to an end, and operators will be held to account for the quality and affordability of the services they sell.
