Uganda launches e-govt plan

By Raymond Baguma

THE Government, through the information and communication technology (ICT) ministry, has launched a plan to implement e-government to improve efficiency and delivery of public services.

This is in collaboration with South Korea, which will offer technical assistance to develop a comprehensive ICT master plan for Uganda, covering and integrating the economy and a feasibility study on ICT priority areas.

E-government refers to the use of the Internet to deliver government information and services to citizens.

The team from South Korea’s National IT Promotion Agency (NIPA), the lead agency on ICT master planning, is in the country to prepare for the project.

The experts held a meeting on Tuesday with the National Information Technology Authority- Uganda (NITA-U) officials in Kampala, where they shared knowledge on how to implement e-governance.

Hyun Seek Lee, the vicepresident of NIPA, said since the 1980s, the Korean government has been using ICT to improve administrative efficiency through e-government.

“An Internet-based government service can deliver services to citizens and private business more efficiently with broader access and cost-savings across government agencies.

E-government can increase citizen participation in government to achieve an open government,” he said.

James Saaka, the executive director of NITA-U, said, the Government’s ICT infrastructure and systems are isolated from departments, ministries and local governments.

“Each has been going on its own. We want coordinated and harmonised IT systems to lower the costs of doing business,” Saaka said.

Dr. Pat Samanya, the ICT ministry permanent secretary, requested the South Korean team to examine Uganda’s ICT policies, laws and regulations and how they may impact on e-government and make recommendations for