By Musa Mbogo
With new leadership at the helm, Uganda Telecommunications Corporation Limited (UTCL) has officially begun its journey toward a stronger digital future.
The newly appointed Board of Directors, led by Engineer Denis Kaggwa Mugwanya, convened for their first official meetings last week at Telecom House in Kampala. This follows the landmark agreement signed in October 2024 between the Government of Uganda and Rowad Capital Commercial (RCC), a United Arab Emirates-based investor.
Speaking on behalf of the new investors, Eng. Mugwanya expressed gratitude to the Ugandan government for its trust and continued support. “Over the next few months,” he said, “we look forward to working closely with UTCL’s management, staff, and partners to ensure a smooth and successful transition.”
The Government of Uganda retains a 40% shareholding in UTCL, distributed between the Ministry of Finance (26%) and the Ministry of ICT (14%). All shareholder groups are represented on the new Board, which will be officially inaugurated in May 2025.
The full composition of the new Board includes: Dr. Ssekakubo Grace Suleiman, Mr. Tom Sekatwe, Ms. Diana Nanono, Ms. Daphne Okama, Engineer Denis Kaggwa Mugwanya, Mr. Wilber Nuwamanya, Engineer Edward Mugerwa.
In a move to strengthen its executive leadership, the Board has appointed Mr. Paul Patrick Ikopit as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Mr. David Kakembo as Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO). The Company’s day-to-day operations have been under the stewardship of Ms. Maggie Lutwama Mukiibi, the Chief Operations Officer (COO).
Mr. Ikopit brings to UTCL over 35 years of experience in the telecommunications, oil and gas, and fintech sectors, including senior roles with MTN Group, Safaricom, and Virgin Mobile across multiple African and Middle Eastern markets.
He is a Certified Public Accountant (Kenya), with a B.Com in Accounting from Makerere University and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School. Most recently, he served as Country Director for Onafriq Uganda, one of the world’s largest fintech platforms, and has held executive leadership positions in Uganda, South Africa, Sudan, Kuwait, and Iran.
Looking ahead, UTCL will concentrate on assuming full control of the management and commercial operations of the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) and the E-Government Infrastructure (EGI). This marks a significant step in Uganda’s journey to enhance connectivity and digital service delivery across the country.
As the proverb says, “a new broom sweeps clean, but the old one knows the corners.” With a blend of fresh leadership and continuity, UTCL is setting the stage for a digitally empowered Uganda. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
