In her budget speech on June 11, Finance Minister Syda Bbumba banned the importation of used computers, freezers and refrigerators to protect the environment but extended a three-month moratorium for goods in transit and in bonded warehouses to be cleared.

The ban came on the eve of the arrival in Mombasa of the East African Submarine Cable System fibre cable connecting East Africa to the rest of the world. The region is expecting faster Internet connectivity.

The Kenya government-led TEAMS landed in Mombasa a fortnight ago.

“We have a duty to protect our environment and we cannot relax on this front. Together we can safeguard our environment or else we shall pay an immense price in the future,” the Minister said.

The ICT sector in Uganda has been abuzz with Online forums since the minister’s announcement.

I-Network Uganda, one of the online forums said that the ban will limit computer usage as very few Ugandans can afford new computers and that it will cripple ICT investments which had started to grow.

The forum instead suggested regulations and the establishment of an electronic waste disposal facility, which however are both regarded as expensive alternatives.

Submissions on the I-Network showed a preference of regulation rather than a ban on used computers.

Just last year, investment expenditure in the sector by private and public entities was $230 million, up from $70 million in 2006/07.

“Let us advocate for new and affordable computers. Why can’t we think of assembling them in Uganda instead of importing junk,” said Aramanzan Madanda, assistant lecturer, Department of Women & Gender Studies at the Makerere University.

Kato William Bitarabeho of Data Fundi who is against importation of refurbished computers said Uganda has a fragile ICT industry and supporting the importation of refurbished computers suffocates the business process outsourcing industry, which needs good and fast machines to be able to compete with the rest of the world.