The Uganda Media Centre has received 25 laptops from the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) in a bid to strengthen its capacity to disseminate information and support government communication initiatives.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Uganda Media Centre Executive Director, Alan Kasujja hailed NITA-U for the donation.
He emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader nation-building agenda.
“We are not involved in a PR exercise; we are involved in nation-building. We want to open the eyes of young people to the opportunities that exist in this country. Their future is bright if they continue contributing to the progress of this nation,” Kasujja said.
“We are not involved in a PR exercise; we are involved in nation-building. We want want young people to see that their motherland will take care of them, and that their future is bright if they continue contributing to the progress of this nation. The ambition of government is very clear: by 2040, this economy must be worth 500 billion dollars. How do we achieve that? By communicating—by telling Uganda’s story.”
Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, Executive Director of NITA-U, noted that the donation is just the beginning of efforts to support the Media Centre’s digital transformation.
“We responded to the call for support, but there is much more that we can do. We are looking at devices to enable the Centre to disseminate information, monitor government programmes, collect and process data before dissemination, and improve e-services including web hosting and connectivity,” he said.
Dr. Mugasa also highlighted NITA-U’s ongoing work to digitise government services.
“We have already delivered 150 laptops to communication officers under the Ministry of ICT, and around 2,000 laptops to other government offices, with more on the way. The biggest challenge is the absorption of ICT services, hindered by the cost and availability of devices. Under the leadership of the Minister of Finance, we are discussing ways to reduce these costs so that ordinary citizens can afford smart devices.”
He concluded by calling on other government agencies and the public to leverage IT as an enabler.
“It will expedite your work and allow you to perform much more efficiently,” he said.
