Minister Tumwebaze warns UICT over land giveaway

Don't sell the land because government wants to build the offices of ministry of ICT and communication on the 20 acres of land located on Port Bell Road, Nakawa.

Those were the instructions the minister of ICT and national guidance Frank Tumwebaze gave to the council board of Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) when he visited the campus.

The land in question is also meant for the centre of excellence of information and communication technology in the Eastern African region.

"As a core agency and the department of ministry of ICT we need your innovation to help government build capacity in digital technology," Tumwebaze said.

"No selling and leasing of your land. The government wants to build the headquarters of ministry of information and communication technology and communication. Is it a bad idea?" Tumwebaze asked.

The ICT minister Frank Tumwebaze (left) listens to students of Uganda Institute of Information and Communication Technology (UICT) during his visit to the institute on Tuesday August 30, 2016.

 
The minister urged the management to invite Microsoft to invest in ICT infrastructure.

He also appealed to them to keep up with innovation to spur the country in digital technology.

On the minister's fears on selling land to investors Dr. Fabiano Okware the acting deputy principal of the institute said in 2006/2007 Makerere University Business School (MUBS) wanted to expand their campus into the institute's land.

"In 2006/2007 the university had expressed interest to annex the institute to their campus," Dr. Okware told the New Vision.

Okware also explained that there was a private developer who wanted to purchase the land only to be disappointed after the Parliament and Cabinet rejected it.

"Cabinet and Parliament stood firm that the institute should be protected," he said.

The acting deputy principal agreed with the minister that the land should not be sold to an investor because the institute spearheads the training of ICT in the country.

Dr. Okware revealed that the institute has got support from the development partner Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to transform the institute to be the centre of excellence in Eastern African region.

He said a master plan to the tune of sh1.75b has already been developed to inject in the project as a startup.

The ICT minister Frank Tumwebaze (left) listens to Brian Asiimwe a student of Uganda Institute of Information and Communication Technology (UICT) during his visit to the institute

 
He pointed out that the management has a big plan and the staff, were sent to Kigali, Dublin, South Africa and Egypt to benchmark the development of ICT in those countries.

"We shall remain specialized and foster ICT discipline and train judges, permanent secretaries and Cabinet ministers as well as ministries departments and agencies," he said.

"We want to bridge the digital gap."

This academic year 1,450 students are studying at the institute.

The minister was taken around the campus by the acting deputy principal Irene Nakiyimba and the board council