The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Innovation Village geared towards driving the ICT Innovation agenda in Uganda. 

This is in line with the government’s commitment to create a digitally driven economy and realise universal goals inclusion, sustainable development, economic progress and poverty eradication through digital innovation.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance said the partnership intends to unlock the market opportunity for Uganda’s ICT innovators and facilitate a legal framework to support public-private collaboration to transform Uganda’s ICT innovation landscape for socio-economic development.

“Our digital Uganda vision provides an overarching framework and unified ICT policy direction that responds to the national vision 2040. Part of this strategy involves creating strategic partnerships that support forming a digitally knowledgeable and empowered society to inspire innovation and productivity of the people, organizations, businesses and government,” Zawedde said.

She added, “Together with the Innovation Village, we will identify and develop projects that support innovation-oriented activities that are focused on leveraging emerging digital technologies and spur the development of the innovation ecosystem in Uganda. 

“We will continue to establish different partnerships with various partners both in the private and government sector to enable digital skilling, provide capacity building, training and certification courses to different innovators and the population at large to achieve digital transformation of the economy.”

According to Japheth Kawanguzi, Team Lead at the Innovation Village, this collaboration will see government through the Ministry of ICT support the ecosystem through financing mechanisms to deliver tailor-made services to young tech-preneurs through a series of business training, coaching and mentorship help young people transition into the employment and job creation sectors with the right skills.

Kawanguzi said, “Together, we will work towards capacity building and development of innovators, and build a virtual factory network at national level to empower ICT innovators and entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, with a focus on the competitive advantages of each of Uganda’s regions, aligned to the National Development Plan (NDP) III”.

This move is strategically geared towards sustainably supporting the National ICT Initiatives Support Programme (NIISP) whose sole aim is to facilitate the creation of an ICT innovation ecosystem, equip entrepreneurs with digitals skills and find a market for Ugandan innovative digital products both locally and internationally. 

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Karamoja senior leaders and top security commanders have recommitted to end cross border criminality among the communities of Dodoth of Kaabong in Uganda and Turkana in Kenya.

Their recommitment comes in the wake of raids by cattle rustlers allegedly from Kaabong District on Turkana County in Kenya in which dozens of heads of cattle were forcefully taken.

At a joint district security coordination meeting, chaired by Mr. Modo Augustine, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (D/RDC) held at Kaabong District Headquarter, the senior leaders and commanders condemned the act and vowed to end the vice. “The district has been calm except for the recent unfortunate skirmishes and raids by cattle rustlers to our neighbours across the border,” remarked Mr. Modo.

 “As responsible leaders in authority we totally condemn this act and call upon immediate redress,” Mr. Modo added.

At the same meeting the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 3rd Division Commander, Brig Gen Joseph Balikudembe stated that all sorts of criminality must be rooted out of the communities by all means. “I urge you leaders to denounce criminality, unite and work towards a common goal,” remarked Gen Balikudembe.

He noted that some livestock thefts are planned and conducted with the knowledge of leaders, where on some occasions, ultimately its either their sons or relatives who carry out the evil acts. “This is not a frontline engagement because leaders know and plead for some criminals amidst the communities,” he lamented.

Gen Balikudembe emphasised that the ongoing disarmament operations code named ‘Usalama Kwa Wote’ have achieved a lot in terms of arms and livestock scores, where over 615 guns and 3 ,998 ammunition respectively, have been recovered.

He further outlined five categories of criminal networks which include; armed warriors, warriors with bows and arrows, warriors with sticks to drive stolen animals, collaborators and leaders that are involved in such criminality.

He vowed that the different categories of criminals and their accomplices shall be dealt with, apprehended and prosecuted in the relevant courts of law.

The 3rd Division Commander who also doubles as the Chairperson of Disarmament Committee cautioned the leaders against blame games, spreading diversionary information and counter accusations instead of embracing harmony, unity and coordination in order to consolidate relative peace so far gained in the sub region.

In his closing remarks, Hon. Lokutu Mukasa Joseph, Vice Chairperson LC V for Kaabong who represented his boss Jino Bornd, stressed that the local leaders shall double efforts, use the governance structures and mobilize the masses to recover guns, stolen animals and hold peace initiatives with the neighbors.

He appealed to fellow leaders not to politicize cattle raids for individual interests but work towards the much-desired security and peace in the Karamoja sub region.

The meeting unanimously resolved on a number of operational strategies that will closely be guided by the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the President of Uganda and Commander -in – Chief of the UPDF HE Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and HE Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of the Republic of Kenya, to secure the interstate region.

Present were: Lt Col Gaston Mugarura Commanding Officer 45 Battalion, Lt Col Shem Nakora Division Intelligence Officer, Maj Frank Mutabazi RISO North Karamoja, SP Jacob Kule DPC and Hon. Francis Lomodo, the Speaker of Kaabong among other local leaders.

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The Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS) has received 71 units of blood from the staff of Protea Hotel Kampala as part of the “Serve 660; Doing Good in Every Direction.”

The campaign seeks to create a positive and sustainable impact in society. It brought together some of Simba Group’s partners like Simba Telecom, hotel guests, and corporate executives to donate blood.

Speaking during the occasion, Samuel Wantate, UBTS Nakasero Blood Bank team lead, emphasized that that blood transfusion is critical in saving lives and appealed to more people to come forward and donate blood.

“Every day, blood is needed to save the lives of those involved in accidents, mothers who excessively bleed during childbirth, and those with medical conditions such as cancer, sickle cells, anemia, and blood disorders,” he said.

He said blood donations do not only save the lives of those in need of the transfusion but also help the donors to have healthier lives by minimizing the risk of hypertension, heart attack, blood clots, and unnecessary weight gain.

“After donations, the blood is screened against transfusable infections such as HIV/AIDs, syphilis, and others, then taken to the Nakasero Blood Bank, Mengo Blood Bank, and other regional blood banks across the country where the blood is then accessible, at no cost.”

During the blood donation drive, 71 units of blood were collected from the people who appeared intending to prompt more blood donations to the Blood Banks across the country to save a life.

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Businessman Hamis Kiggundu aka Ham has dragged Wakiso District lands surveyor Mr Bashir Juma Kizito to the Surveyors Registration Board (SRB) and Institute of Surveyors of Uganda (ISU) over an alleged conflict of interest.

According to the complaint that was filed on September 19, Ham wants the board to take disciplinary action against Mr Juma Kizito. The official is on the spot over ownership of a 140-acre piece of land at Kigo, Wakiso District, which is being disputed by the Buganda Land Board (BLB) and Ham.

In May during the public hearing of BLB complaint by the commissioner of Land Registration, Mr Kizito introduced himself as a district staff surveyor, a representative of Buganda Land Board, and a lawful attorney of the Kabaka (King) of Buganda.

“Wakiso District Land Board as a public office granted us permission to obtain freehold land titles over former public land. Currently, Bashir [Kizito] works as the district staff surveyor of Wakiso and has actual notice of our freehold land titles and truly participated in the process of their creation by checking and okaying the sub-divisions that happened on July 14, 2020,” reads the complaint.

Through his company Kiham Enterprises Ltd, Ham said they discovered that Mr Kizito authored a survey report which the Kabaka is relying on in his quest to have their freehold titles cancelled.

“To date, it is again Bashir Juma Kizito on top of the cancellation game of our freehold certificates of titles for our land situated in Kigo. This is a gross conflict of interest…, the very reason we are presenting him before the two bodies that govern professional and practicing surveyors in the country,” the complaint states.

In a September 30 letter, the Institute of Surveyors of Uganda acknowledged receipt of the complaint.

“This case has been considered by the ISU disciplinary committee and decided that it is forwarded to the SRB for action as it involves a complaint concerning disciplinary action against a registered surveyor,” reads the response.

Last week, the Land Division of High Court issued an order stopping the commissioner for Land Registration from canceling the four land titles for Kiham Enterprises until determination of the pending case.

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