Uganda’s low technology embracement is hindering the uptake of innovative solutions that could solve existing challenges, unlock incomes and propel economic development, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert has said.

Eng. Innocent Orikiiriza, the founder and chief executive officer of KaCyber, a software company that builds digital ticketing systems for public transport operators, said that while Uganda has had several ICT startups that could solve existing challenges, uptake is still low given several challenges such as low smartphone usage and internet penetration in the country.

While there has been an increase in the number of smartphones in the country to about 27%, and internet penetration to about 37.9%, it is still low compared to the about 50% sub-Saharan Africa average.

Eng Innocent Orikiiriza, founder and chief executive officer of KaCyber

This is mainly attributed to the high cost of smartphones and internet.

“At times someone could have a smartphone but when they don’t have money for internet,” Orikiiriza said.

He noted that while the challenge could be solved by integrating the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology, it is also still very expensive for most ICT startups as they have to pay annual access fees of about $10,000 (sh36.5m) to Uganda Communications Commission.

He, however, noted that KaCyber is exploring the avenue of partnering with a telecom service provider, as it seems to be a cheaper option.

KaCyber, which is one of the incubatees under the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) incubation programme, offers online ticketing services via an Application (App) to bus and passenger trains.

They are currently working with four transport operators including Uganda Railways passenger train, Star Link Transporters, Highway coaches and Malayika Transporters. One is allowed to select their preferred seat number, according to availability.

According to Orikiiriza, over 20,000 travel tickets are issued through the KaCyber platform per month.

Orikiiriza said that they are currently in talks with the Ministry of Works and Transport to onboard MV Kalangala on the App and that they also have plans to support other modes of transport such as Boda Boda, taxis and private car rentals.

Patrick Muhoozi, the Starlink Transporters Manager said the App has enabled them close revenue leakages which they were suffering while using the manual system and also reduced congestion at their offices for people booking travel tickets.

Muhoozi added that the online system came in handy following the emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic to help curb the spread of the virus through the elimination of long queues.

The UIRI ICT manager Boaz Oguma Origumisiriza said the KaCyber innovation will help improve Uganda’s transport sector by increasing efficiency, customer convenience and ensure revenue growth for transport operators.

“The world is going digital and using technology simplifies so many things. As UIRI, we are not seating back; we are always looking out for people with innovative ideas that are feasible and we support them to actualize their ideas to solve existing challenges,” Origumisiriza said.

Uganda’s public transport system is for instance too chaotic as passengers and transport operators crisscross each other in the busy bus and taxi parks. Additionally, transport operators lose a lot of revenue as untrustworthy conductors charge money that is not recorded anywhere in the operator’s books, thus revenue leakages.

Idro Taban Jr, founder and chief executive officer, Taban Invest Group also alluded to improved revenue collection, resulting from using the online ticketing solution.