ICT Sector Strategy and Investment Plan (2015 - 2020)

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ICT Sector Strategy and

Investment Plan
(2015 2020)

Ministry of Information and


Communications Technology
UCC/SRVCS/13-14/00025
August 2014

Private and Confidential


Ministry of Information and Communications Technology
Social Security House, Plot 4, Jinja road
P.O. Box 7817, Kampala Uganda.
Dear Sir / Madam,
RE: Provision of Consultancy Services for Development of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) Sector Strategy and Investment Plan
We are pleased to submit our Zero Draft with regards to Provision of Consultancy Services for
Development of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Sector Strategy and Investment
Plan.
This Zero Draft ICT Sector Strategy and Investment Plan includes the strategic approach, strategic
framework, recommended interventions, action plan, institutional structure, and critical success
factors.
Kindly contact the undersigned [email protected] or Chrispine O. Mudhune
[email protected] or Andrew Kiyingi [email protected] in case of clarifications on this
report.
Yours Sincerely,
For: Deloitte (Uganda) Limited

Fred Okwiri
Director

Acronyms
Acronym

Description

CERT

Computer Emergency Response Team

GDP

Gross Domestic Product

GoU

Government of Uganda

ICT

Information and Communications Technology

ICT-SIP

Information and Communication Technology Sector Strategy


and Investment Plan

IMC

Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee

IT

Information Technology

ITeS

Information Technology Enabled Services

MoICT

Ministry of Information and Communication Technology

NDP

National Development Plan

NITA-U

National Information Technology Authority Uganda

PGC

Programme Governance Committee

PIAP

Public Internet Access Point

SIMC

Secretariat to the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee

STA

Strategic Thrust Area

UCC

Uganda Communications Commission

UGX

Uganda Shillings

Document Control
Document Information
Document Identification

WP2014

Document Name

Project Name

Strategy and Investment Plan (SIP) Project

Client

Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT)

Document Author

Deloitte (Uganda) Limited

Document Version

1.0

Date Released

1 August 2014

File Name

Zero Draft ICT-SIP.docx

Document Status

Zero Draft ICT-SIP

Draft

Document Change History


Version

Date

Comments

0.1

1 August 2014

Creation

Edits

Distribution of Final Document


The following people are designated recipients of the final version of this document:
Name

Organization / Title

SIP Task Team

Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT),


National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U), Uganda
Communications Commission (UCC), Posta Uganda, Uganda Institute
of Information and Communications Technology (UICT), and Ministry
of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED)

Executive Summary
Located in East Africa, and landlocked by Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania, Uganda is a developing country that practices a liberalized
economy with an average GDP growth rate and unemployment at around 7% and 4%
respectively. Uganda envisions itself as a society transformed from a peasant to a modern,
prosperous and a competitive upper middle income country by 2040. The country roadmap
to effect this transition is conceptualized around strengthening fundamentals of the
economy to harness the abundant opportunities contained therein. Key strength areas
identified include sectors like oil and gas, tourism, minerals, Information and
Communication Technology (ICT), water resources and agriculture, and attributes such as
an abundant labour force, geographical location and trade and industrialisation.
The Comprehensive National Development Planning Framework (CNDPF) provides for the
realisation of the 30-year vision through: three 10-year plans; six 5-year National
Development Plans (NDPs); Sector Development Plans (SDPs); Local Government
Development Plans (LGDPs); Annual work plans; and Budgets.

The ICT Sector


ICT graduated into a full-fledged sector in 2006 with the establishment of the Ministry of
ICT (MoICT) as a transition from the past when it fell under the purview of the department
of Communications of the then Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications. Though
still evolving, the sector has a vibrant stakeholder base comprising besides the government,
the ICT industry, academia, practitioners and the end users, particularly the young who
comprise a large proportion of Uganda's population and contribute significantly to the ICT
uptake in the country. From the public domain, the ICT Sector comprises three levels: (i)
Policy - the MoICT; (ii) regulatory two regulators namely Uganda Communications
Commission (UCC) and National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U), and
the private sector and Ministries Departments and Agencies at the operational level.
Within the CNDPF the ICT sector has been actively participating in the national planning
and budgeting processes leading to production of critical budgeting, resource allocation and
monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Individual agencies in the sector have overtime
developed their own strategic and corporate investment plans to guide their business
strategies and investment decisions. In order to enable alignment of institutional strategic
and corporate investment plans towards a common sector goal and enhance collaboration
and synergies in the sector, the ICT sector embarked on the process of developing the ICT
Sector Strategy and Investment Plan (ICT SIP) to spur growth and development in the
sector and enable transformation of the country into a knowledge-based economy. This
document details the strategies and interventions to be followed in pursuance of the above
strategic plan.

Principal Areas to be addressed


A comprehensive situational assessment exercise reveals that Uganda is endowed with
several strengths, inherent and acquired, that favour a growing ICT sector in the country.
i

These include (a) a stable and responsive policy and regulatory regime; (b) a fast-growing
ICT sector in a growing economy; (c) a well-developed institutional framework to drive the
ICT agenda; (d) long-term ICT infrastructure investment by the Government; (e) conducive
geo-political linkages with other countries of the region; (f) a favourable geographical
positioning of the country in the world; and (g) a high literacy rates in a predominantly
young demography with a high degree of fluency in the English language.
However, notwithstanding the above advantages and earlier efforts to harness ICT for
development, the adoption and use of ICT has been significantly below desirable levels
across sectors of society and the economy hence losing out on the potential gains which
could have been derived. Piecemeal efforts typically resulted in duplication of investments,
shortfall in standardisation, inequitable access to people at large and sub-optimal levels of
interworking among stakeholder groups within and across sectors. Among other things, a
whole-of-country effort that brings diverse stakeholders under one umbrella to make the
most cost-effective use of ICTs for socio-economic betterment remained to be embarked
upon. The ICT-SIP initiative plugs this gap.

The ICT Strategic Investment Plan


The ICT-SIP envisions ICT as a transformative tool for growth and governance by 2019, the
target year. Represented by ConnectedUgand@2020, the Vision includes within its ambit
the three large components of (a) ICT for economic growth in Uganda through
contributions by the ICT sector; (b) ICT as a tool for growth in Uganda in non-ICT sectors;
and (c) ICT as a tool for governance. Specific targets associated with the Vision include the
following:
Contribution of the ICT sector into the Ugandan GDP from <value> to <value> by 2020;
Average growth rate in the ICT sector over the plan period of 20%;
Contribution of the ICT sector exports to be <>% of the Ugandan exports by 2020;
Direct employment to at least <> professionals in the ICT sector;
At least <>% of Ugandans aged 15 and above regularly use ICT in their day-to-day
activities;
At least five priority sectors of the Government of Uganda are completely online by
2020; and
At least 50% of eGovernment Services to be online by 2020.
The Mission statement corresponding to the above Vision is to spearhead the creation of a
complete ICT landscape through partnerships, for a transformed Uganda.

Strategic Themes, Action Areas and Strategic Interventions


Activities proposed for the Vision to be realised are essentially contained in the following
four Strategic Themes, each of which is associated with their respective goals to be
achieved before the target year:
Foundational Support for ICT Development;
Enabling Environment to spur growth of ICT;
ICT for Governance and Service Delivery; and
ICT as an Engine of Growth.

ii

Interventions to be pursued have been grouped under 10 Action Areas of (1) Policy, Legal
and Regulatory Reform; (2) Manpower Development and Planning; (3) ICT Infrastructure; (4)
Institutional Framework; (5) Information Security; (6) Research and Innovation; (7)
Promoting Local Content; (8) Promoting eServices; (9) eGovernment; and ICT Industry
Promotion in Target Markets. Each of these Action Areas are associated with one or more
strategies that are to be realised through several strategic interventions. From an
implementation perspective the strategic interventions to be taken up have been capsuled
into 10 Programmes that act as the vehicles of implementation for activities in an Action
Area. The table overleaf brings out a snapshot of the 10 different programmes and the
corresponding strategic interventions.

Implementation Approach
A collaboration-driven multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach is envisaged for the
implementation of the different strategic interventions to impart it a holistic treatment that
adequately extracts synergies among the different interventions. Although clear
accountability and ownership structures for each of these interventions is proposed for the
implementation, flexibility in the formation of teams is provided to those responsible for
taking them up. A comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation framework, considered key to
success of such endeavours has also been provided to guide the implementers through the
execution processes.
Over the period 2015-2020, the ICT-SIP is estimated to cost around UGS <> Million for the
different interventions recommended.

iii

Action Areas/
Programmes
Action Area: Policy,
Legal and Regulatory
Reform
Programme Name:
Pl@tform

Action Area:
Manpower
Development and
Planning
Programme Name:
eMpower

Action Area: ICT


Infrastructure
Programme Name:

Strategic Interventions
A1: Design a policy framework to address requirements in the priority areas of ICT industry development and promotion,
research and development and ICT exports
A2: Review and implement a comprehensive Spectrum Policy and Management Framework based on principles of
technology and service neutrality and economic valuation.
A3: Review and implement a comprehensive policy and management framework for Infrastructure Sharing and Rights of
Way and recommend their enforcement modalities
A4: Finalise and ensure the implementation of the draft Data Protection legislation for Uganda.
A5: Enact and enforce Anti-Spam legislation for Uganda
A6: Review, propose and operationalise policy provisions aimed at building local capacity.
A7: Review and implement policy and attendant reforms in the postal sector of Uganda.
A8: Develop the National Broadband Policy following a multi-stakeholder collaborative approach
A9: Develop a Strategy for increasing access of ICT devices to Special Interest Groups
B1: Establish the current stock and quality of ICT competencies in the country (capacity building needs assessment)
B2: Develop and support the implementation of a strategy for ICT capacity building
B3: Implement the certification and accreditation for ICT professionals
B4: Partner with Ministry of Education and training institutions to develop as well as implement ICT training curriculum
tailored to industry needs
B5: Develop and implement a mechanism for joint planning and ICT internship between academia and the industry
B6: Develop and implement targeted capacity building for ICT teachers
B7: Facilitate connectivity of schools and institutions for eLearning
C1:
C2:
C3:
C4:

Establish ICT Incubation Centres around public universities and research institutions
Extend Support to Other ICT Incubation initiatives
Establish ICT Parks
Implement a Strategy for rationalisation of ICT initiatives in Government

iv

Action Areas/
Programmes
infraCOMM

Strategic Interventions
C5: Monitor the implementation of ICT infrastructure in line with the National Broadband Strategy
C6: Extend NBI to cover the NDPII priority areas and ensure interconnectivity with neighbouring countries (Including
missing links connectivity)
C7: Promote production and use of low-cost locally assembled devices in collaboration with the private sector
C8: Develop, publish and enforce Standards related to ICT devices & equipment for wider circulation.
C9: Implement last mile connectivity countrywide in partnership with the private sector
C10: Develop and implement a National Master Plan for postal and courier services of Uganda to take advantage of new
opportunities offered by ICT

Action Area:
Institutional
Framework

D1: Review and align the existing institutional framework


D2: Building institutional capacities
D3: Position the facilitation desk based on recommendations of the above exercise

Programme Name:
BASIS1
Action Area:
Information Security
Programme Name:
infoSECURE

E1: Operationalise a multi-sectoral collaborative framework on Information Security e.g. National Information Security
Advisory Group
E2: Build capacity of key institutions across the board (legislature, judiciary, law enforcement agencies etc)
E3: Mount concerted ICT security awareness campaigns
E4: Develop national authentication mechanisms like PKI
E5: Establish the national CERT
E6 Implement website regulation and social media for government

Building a Structure for Institutional Support


v

Action Areas/
Programmes

Strategic Interventions
E7: Establish and maintain partnership agreements with regional players on information security with partner states

Action Area:
Research and
Innovation
Programme Name:
Ideas2Industry

F1: Establish an ICT Research and Innovation Fund


F2: Collaboration with private sector to establish the centres of excellence
F3: Develop a framework for collaboration with research/academia including MoUs, SLAs, etc
F4: PPPs in research and development
F5: Develop and implement a Multi-sectorial & multi-stakeholder framework

Action Area:
Promoting Local
Content
Programme Name:
LocalConnICT

G1: Incentivize the development, adoption and use of Local Content


G2: Develop and implement a strategy for promoting local content development and harmonization
G3: Develop and implement incentive scheme for SMEs using locally developed ICT solutions, products and applications

Action Area:
Promoting eServices

H1: Encourage the use of ICT tools for trade, service delivery and exchange of information
H2: Promote the development and use of value-added services
H3: Incentivize the adoption of ICT in SMEs

Programme Name:
eTransform
Action Area:
eGovernment
Programme Name:
uGovernment.ug

I1:
I2:
I3
I4:
I5:
I6:
I7:

Ensure connectivity of priority sectors i.e. agriculture, health, justice, etc


Establish an electronic document management and workflow system for government
Digital archiving and Digitalization of Government records
Establish Ug-Cloud
Implement the eGovernment interoperability framework
Develop an institutional framework for implementation of eGovernment
Support the implementation of the National Financial Information System

vi

Action Areas/
Programmes

Action Area: ICT


Industry Promotion in
Target Markets
Programme Name:
Br@nd Uganda

Strategic Interventions
I8:
I9:
I10:
I11:
I12:

Establish information access centre


Implement the Government Citizen Interaction Centre (GCIC)
Deploy open source and mobile apps for eGovernment operations with an eye on replicability
Develop and implement a change management strategy
Build capacity for eGovernment adoption

J1:

Undertake collaborative exercises with countries of the region on a win-win basis to explore areas of competitive
strength and interests in order to contribute to all-round regional progress

J2:
J3:
J4:
J5:
J6:
J7:
J8:

Develop and implement a strategy to promote Uganda as an attractive offshoring centre of the world
Undertake market intelligence to identify target markets and target services
Incentivize and reward companies that invest in promoting Ugandas ICT abroad
Empower Uganda Mission abroad in promoting country
Prioritize participation in regional ICT initiatives
Ensure ratification of signed protocol
Elicit export development plans from the ICT industry at least on an annual basis and dovetail the same with country
promotion efforts for Uganda in the ICT sector

vii

Table of Contents
1. Background
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6

ICT Sector Overview


Planning in the ICT sector
Vision 2040 and National Development Plan
ICT Sector in Uganda
ICT Sector Performance
Business Case for ICT-SIP

2. Methodology adopted for Strategy Formulation


2.1

Strategic Architecture

3. Strategic Direction
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4

Vision
Mission
Strategic Themes, Action Areas and Goals
Action Areas, Strategic Objectives and Strategic Interventions

4. Implementation
4.1
4.2
4.3

Critical Success Factors


Monitoring and Evaluation of Initiatives in the ICT Sector
Implementation Risks and Mitigation Measures

1
1
1
2
2
3
5

9
11

13
13
14
14
15

39
39
40
41

5. Budget

43

6. Appendices

44

6.1
6.2
6.3

Appendix A: ICT-SIP Communication Framework


Appendix B: Details of Costing
Appendix C: Implementation Risks and their Mitigation Measures

44
50
67

1. Background
Located in East Africa, with Kenya to the east, South Sudan to the north, the Democratic
Republic of Congo to the west, and Rwanda and Tanzania to the south, Uganda has a size of
about 91,135 square miles and a population of approximately 37 million people with an
increasing population density. Ugandas economy is liberalized, with the country open to
foreign investors. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the country averaged 6.98
between 2006 and 2013. The unemployment rate stood at 4.2% in 2009/10 compared to
1.9% in 2005/6.

1.1 ICT Sector Overview


Existence of the ICT sector dates back with the establishment of the Ministry of Information
and Communications Technology (MOICT) in 2006. Before then, matters of ICT fell under
the purview of the department of Communications of the then Ministry of Works, Transport
and Communications.
The ICT sector is therefore still evolving. Structurally, it comprises both public and private
players. From the public domain, the ICT Sector is structured into three levels; (i) at the
Policy level - there is the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT);
(ii) at the regulatory level there are two regulators namely Uganda Communications
Commission (UCC) and National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U), and
the private sector and Ministries Departments and Agencies at the operational level.
ZERO D RAFT

1.2 Planning in the ICT sector


In 2007, Government adopted a Comprehensive National Development Planning
Framework (CNDPF) which provides for the development of a 30-year Vision to be
implemented through: three 10-year plans; six 5-year National Development Plans (NDPs);
Sector Development Plans (SDPs); Local Government Development Plans (LGDPs); Annual
work plans; and Budgets.
In an attempt to implement the CNDPF, the ICT sector has been actively participating in the
national planning and budgeting processes leading to production of critical budgeting,
resource allocation and monitoring and evaluation frameworks such as the National Budget
Framework Paper (NBFP), the Ministerial Policy Statement (MPS), Annual and Half-Annual
Government Performance Reviews (GPAR).
Individual agencies in the sector have overtime developed their own strategic and corporate
investment plans to guide their business strategies and investment decisions, which they
are currently implementing. In order to enable alignment of institutional strategic and
corporate investment plans towards a common sector goal and enhance collaboration and
synergies among the sector plays, the ICT sector embarked on the process of developing
the ICT Sector Strategy and Investment Plan (ICT SIP) to spur growth and development in
the sector and enable transformation of the country into a knowledge-based economy.

1.3 Vision 2040 and National Development Plan


Vision 2040 of a transformed Ugandan society from a peasant to a modern and
prosperous country within 30 years aims at transforming Uganda from a predominantly
peasant and low income country to a competitive upper middle income country. It is
conceptualized around strengthening fundamentals of the economy to harness the
abundant opportunities around the country. Identified opportunities include oil and gas,
tourism, minerals, ICT, abundant labour force, geographical location and trade, water
resources, industrialisation, and agriculture among others that are to date considerably
under-exploited.

The National Development Plan


The theme of the First National Development Plan (NDP) is Growth, Employment and
Socio-Economic Transformation for Prosperity. The thrust is to accelerate socio-economic
transformation to achieve the National Vision within 30 years. The contribution of this NDP
to the socio-economic transformation will be demonstrated by improved employment
levels, higher per capita income, improved labour force distribution in line with sectoral
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shares, substantially improved human development and
gender equality indicators, and the countrys competitiveness position, among others. The
NDP identifies ICT as a growth sector and sets out the following strategies to be followed:
Develop ICT infrastructure;
Promote the use of ICT in business and service operations (e-commerce and egovernment);
Build competent human resource capacity in the sector;
Develop and implement a policy, legal and regulatory framework for systematic sector
development; and
Promotion of ICT as a business.
ZERO D RAFT

1.4 ICT Sector in Uganda


Uganda is considered to have one of the most vibrant, competitive and well-regulated ICT
sectors in Africa, encompassing both ICT manufacturing and services activities, though
being predominantly skewed towards the latter. The ICT sector is seen to play a big role in
employment, job creation and quality/efficiency in service delivery owing to its cross-cutting
nature, hence contributing significantly to national economic growth and development.
The 1996 policy framework that liberalized the telecommunication sub-sector was
instrumental in giving a push to the ICT service sector that has since grown handsomely
over the last decade, especially in the areas of mobile devices, computer applications,
information processing, storage and dissemination. The ICT Sector has been recognised as
one of the fastest growing sectors noticeably in, mobile telephony, broadcasting, mfinance, data communications and online trade. The sizable growth observed in e-business
transactions amongst Ugandans is largely with trading partners in the Middle East, Europe
and Asia. The Government has also promptly followed this up with efforts in eGovernment,
e-education, e-health, e-payments. The government has also adopted various mechanisms
in partnership with the private sector to ensure that communication services are accessible
to most citizens. As a result, foreign exchange inflows (exports in form of software and
outsourcing services) in the ICT sector have grown significantly too.

1.5 ICT Sector Performance


Ugandas Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector is one of fastest
growing sectors since its liberalization in 2010 with a 6.2% contribution into the GDP (2013)
and over 1 million people estimated to be directly employed (2012/13). Liberalisation
following the Government of Uganda's Telecommunication Policy of 1996 and
technological advancement (particularly the Internet) were instrumental in bringing about a
structural transformation of the sector through the adoption of the National ICT Policy of
2003 that was to guide the development of the sector.
The Government of Uganda (GoU) has identified ICT as one of the key tools that can spur
socio-economic transformation and development of the country with the eventual goal of
attaining a knowledge-based economy. Inclusion of ICT in the core development agenda is
borne out by the following:
ICT features as one of the primary growth drivers especially with regard to promoting
science, technology and innovation in the National Development Plan (NDP) (2010/11
2014/15) and promoting ICT constitutes one of the eight objectives of the NDP; and
The National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) and ICT incubation parks rank among the 22
National Core Projects / Flagships of the NDP.
Over the years, the sector has attracted the support of the private sector and development
partners such as the World Bank (Rural Communications Development Fund (RCDF)), as
well as bilateral donors such as the Government of Peoples Republic of China (NBI/EGI
project), and the Republic of South Korea (e-government Master plan and Information
Access Centre and information security, feasibility study on IT parks).
ZERO D RAFT

The World Bank in collaboration with GoU is in the process of preparing the Regional
Communications Infrastructure Project RCIP) that is intended to improve connectivity, kick
start implementation of eGovernment and consolidate the enabling environment
framework for ICT development. The government has also collaborated with a number of
multinational companies such as Google, Microsoft, etc on a number of development
projects in areas such as establishing ICT innovation centres, education centres of
excellence, extending last mile connectivity for rural communications. The foundations and
charities such as Bill and Melinda Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation etc
also support different ICT-enabled projects in various sectors such as health, education, and
agriculture.

ICT Contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP)


According to the 2013 statistics on national accounts published by the Uganda Bureau of
Statistics (UBOS), the ICT sector (postal and telecommunication) has been one of the
fastest growing sectors in Ugandas economy. For the period of NDP I, the sector grew at
an average of 20.5% per annum and contributed an average of 2.4% to GDP. This growth
was largely on account of growth in the telecommunications sector, data communications
and broadcasting, largely driven by innovation that has led to the increase in use of Value
Added Services. As a result, the sector has attracted significant amounts of Foreign Direct

Investment (FDI), provided employment and contributed significantly to Tax revenue


collection.

ICT Contribution to Government Revenue


The ICT sector in Uganda continued to experience significant development during the year.
The sectors contribution to economic growth in terms of share of GDP was 6.0% and
employment in the ICT sector was estimated at over a million people. Revenue collection
(VAT, PAYE and exercise duty) from telecom companies amounted to Ushs. 332 billion by
December 2013, compared to Ushs.289 billion in December 2012. Figure 1 brings out the
GDP growth rates for the ICT sector over a period of 5 years.
Telephone subscriptions stand at 18.3 million by March 2014, corresponding to a teledensity of 51.3 lines per 100 people. Internet usage has grown, with the number of active
internet subscriptions standing at 3.6 Million by December 2013 compared to 2.7 Million in
December 2012. The number of internet users stands at 7.3 million compared to 6.2 million
in June 2013.
The number of licensed TV stations is 67 with 62 operational. There are 229 licensed FM
radio stations, out of which 208 are operational. The volume of Expedited Mail Services
(EMS) courier items stood at
ICT Sector GDP Growth
134,349 and ordinary mail was
25
23.7
1,497,018. The Number of
21.2
21.1
19.8
registered
Mobile
money 20
18.9
subscribers was 14.24 million in
December 2013 up from 8.87 15
million in December 2012 and 10
the value of transactions
increased to 18.645 trillion as at
5
December 2013 compared to
0
11.6 trillion in December 2012.
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
ZERO D RAFT

Figure 1 GDP Growth rates for the ICT Sector over the last 5 financial years
In terms of the Share of ICT in
export and import revenue Ugandas ICT service exports stood at USD74.9 million in 2011
according to a World Bank report published in 2012, Ugandas ICT service exports included
computer and communications services (telecommunications and postal and courier
services) and information services (computer data and news-related service transactions).
However given that there is no manufacturing or assembly known to be currently taking
place, these must have been re-exports. Even with this scenario, Uganda is still a net
importer of ICT services. The comparative data captured in the World Bank Report (2012)
indicate that in 2010; ICT goods imports as 7.4% of total imports in Uganda stood while ICT
exports as 5.7% of total exports.

The ICT goods exports covered in the report included telecommunications, audio and video,
computer and related equipment; electronic components; and other ICT goods but
excluded software. In terms of ICT sector contribution to employment by December 2010,
the sector employed close to 14,000 persons directly (staff directly employed by service
providers and government) and an estimated 800,000 indirect jobs were created by the

sector (e.g. Airtime vendors, mobile money kiosks etc). In FY 2012/13, the direct and indirect
jobs created by the ICT sector were estimated well over a million jobs.

1.6 Business Case for ICT-SIP


A comprehensive situational assessment exercise reveals the following key strength areas
for Uganda
Policy and Regulatory Regime: Owing to liberalised policies pursued since 1996, the
Ugandan ICT Market is considered one of the most liberalised and well-regulated within
the region. Periodically updated and benchmarked with the best in the world the policy,
legal and regulatory foundations in the country conveys stability and responsiveness for
any investor in Uganda, from within the country or without.
Economic Condition: Growing at about 20% every year the ICT sector in Uganda is
considered one of the fastest growing areas of the economy providing direct
employment to over a million people in the country. Uganda is favourably placed in the
middle of the African mainland and land-linked with other countries of the region (both
Anglophone and Francophone) with whom it enjoys excellent relations. Taken in
conjunction with the country's own internal market this makes for an excellent
catchment area from which not only can resources be drawn but could also be
developed as a market for ICT goods and services.
Institutional Setting: Uganda has a matrix of organisations within the ICT sector with
well-defined roles and responsibilities at the policy, regulatory and operational levels.
The liberalization process created the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) as
the regulator while privatising the-then incumbent, Uganda Posts and
Telecommunications Corporation (UPTC). For better coordination in development and
implementation of programmes, the department of ICT (once in the Ministry of Works
and Transport) was elevated to a full-fledged Ministry of ICT (MoICT) mandated to
provide strategic and technical leadership, overall coordination, support and advocacy
on all matters of policy, laws, regulations and strategies for the ICT sector. Though still
evolving the ICT sector today comprises both public and private players. In the public
domain, the ICT Sector is structured into three levels:
o Policy level - Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT);
o Regulatory level two regulators namely Uganda Communications Commission
(UCC) and National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U); and
o Operational level - two institutions i.e. Posta Uganda and Uganda Institute of
Information and Communications Technology (UICT).
ZERO D RAFT

In the private sector, the ICT sector comprises the sub-sectors of telecommunications,
broadcasting, information technology (IT) and postal. Within these subsectors, the key
players include telecom operators, ICT infrastructure providers, Internet Service
Providers (ISPs), broadcasters, players in the film industry, content providers, software
designers etc. Other key actors in the sector include the academia, research
institutions, civil society and development partners, besides a young population steeped
in the use of ICT. Together, this makes for a wholesome mix of stakeholders who find
value in ICT.
Technology Status: GoU plans concerted investment in building a nation-wide
interoperable core ICT infrastructure to serve as a backbone for connectivity in the

country. At the level of consumers mobile penetration rates are high and growing which
reflect the presence of basic access facilities to use ICT goods and services.
Cross-cutting Areas: Besides the above, there are many other inherent strengths
though not particularly specific to the ICT sector, such as the following:
o Favourable Geographical Positioning: Uganda's convenient time-zone positions it
favourably with respect to major consumers of ICT enabled services in the world
making it possible for its ICT industry to do business with Asia in the morning, and to
transact with Europe and the Americas in the afternoon;
o High Literacy Rates: Years of concerted push at the primary and secondary levels
through nation-wide education programmes endows Uganda with high literacy rates
that offers a very useful resource base for a growing ICT industry. Furthermore, as
nearly 50% of the population is below 15 years of age, this gives Uganda the
advantage of a high proportion of productive working population (with very low
proportion in the higher age categories) that will stand the country in good stead for
several decades to come.
o Fluent English Speaking Population: There is a vast pool of English speaking
population, particularly among the youth which could be of enormous advantage to
the ICT sector.

Gaps in the Adoption of ICTs


The situational assessment exercise also reveals that notwithstanding the above
advantages and earlier efforts to harness ICT for development, the adoption and use of ICT
has been significantly below desirable levels across sectors of society and the economy
hence losing out on the potential gains which could have been derived. Among other things,
a whole-of-country effort that brings diverse stakeholders under one umbrella to make the
most cost-effective use of ICTs for socio-economic betterment is yet to be embarked upon.
At an overall level the following are some of the gas noticed:
Although efforts to harness ICT as a tool and a track for development began nearly two
decades ago with a policy framework that liberalised the telecommunication subsector, its adoption and use has been significantly sub-optimal across sectors of the
economy and society and potential gains which could have been derived have
continued to elude Uganda.
Beset with development challenges, Uganda is nevertheless equipped with several
advantages, inherent and acquired, that makes it conducive for ICT to be exploited both
as a sector in itself (a "track" ) as well as an enabler (a "tool") in the pursuit of all-round
socio-economic development of the country. However, the development of a concerted
strategy that capitalises on these strengths has not been taken up.
Whereas ICTs have been tapped into for economic benefits, communication,
entertainment and governance, a whole-of-country effort that brings diverse
stakeholders under one umbrella to make the most cost-effective use of ICTs for socioeconomic betterment is yet to be embarked upon.
Piecemeal efforts have resulted in duplication of investments, shortfall in
standardisation, inequitable access to people at large and sub-optimal levels of
interworking among stakeholder groups within and across sectors; real gains
potentially accruing from widespread adoption and use of ICTs have been missed.
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In particular, the following specific gaps exist in the current ICT setup in the country:
ICT Policy: The current ICT policy, though supportive, has un-addressed areas like ICT
Exports, Research and Development and ICT Industry Promotion. Besides, the existing
policy focus is skewed towards the public sector
ICT Institutional Framework: The institutional framework suffers from a weak capacity
for enforcement of laws, regulations and other directives related to the ICT sector.
Coordination among the institutional entities in the ICT sector as well as between the
government and the private entities needs to be stronger. Better coordination will
usher a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral orientation in the engagement between
institutions in the ICT sector. A single entity that could represent the whole of the ICT
sector is missing too.
ICT Infrastructure: Without a unified infrastructure delivery roll out plan, development
in ICT infrastructure has taken place in a haphazard way. An integrated treatment to
infrastructure delivery, particularly by utility service providers would be in order.
Recommendatory and/or enforcement standards and guidelines need to exist in a
number of areas including vandalism and other damages, infrastructure sharing
obligations, ICT access by Special Interest Groups, promoting universal\ access to ICT
devices, pre-agreed standards for ICT devices and a spectrum allocation process that is
more responsive. Connectivity to the end user needs to be beefed up too.
Monitoring and reporting ICT developments: Initiatives are required both at the
definitional and operational levels in an endeavour to track the progress of the ICT
sector. The deteriorating ranking in the global ICT index needs to be arrested.
ICT funding and partnerships: The public investment in ICT stands at 0.13% of the
national budget; collaborative ways of working with the private sector, generically
known as the Public Private Partnership model is yet to find firm ground in the country.
ICT Human Resources and Capacity Building: An exercise to estimate the current levels
of stock and quality of Ugandas ICT competencies is yet to be undertaken. Academia
efforts are often out of sync with what the industry needs. Internship opportunities are
limited too.
ICT Devices and Services: Poor quality of devices and associated services, high
bandwidth cost, weak consumer protection and poor enforcement of standards and
poor affordability have together led to an adoption rate much lower than what would
be desirable.
ICT Public Awareness and Knowledge: There are limited avenues for public awareness
about ICTs; the existing efforts are, at best, fragmented. A concerted
programme/initiative that promotes the citizens utilisation of ICT would be in order.
Information Security: Uganda generally suffers from a limited awareness of information
security and related issues. Although the National Information Security Framework
exists it is still not operational. While an authentication framework (like the PKI) is
missing, the preparedness to respond to cyber-attacks is limited. Guidelines for Internet
Service Providers (ISPs) that will help them ward off threats from the Internet is missing
too.
eGovernment: Although piecemeal efforts have been taken much needs to be done to
bring about an integrated whole-of-government approach to Uganda's eGovernment
efforts. Departments work in silos with there being little exchange of data in particular
and a lack of an integrated working in general. The current eGovernment Master Plan
has gaps in this and a few other respects.
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ICT Promotion and Regional Collaboration: A wider participation is required for Uganda
in global and regional initiatives which has so far been limited and uncoordinated.
Uganda is yet to be marketed as an ICT hub. Uganda stands much to gain from
participation in regional ICT infrastructure e.g. sub-marine cable constructions.
R&D and Local Content: ICT research and innovation suffers from a fragmented
approach while ICT-based local content development is generally poor with there being
no framework for identification and dissemination of ICT demand areas/solutions.
Multi-national ICT research activity is limited too.
ICT in the Sectors: There is generally a sub-optimal exploitation of ICT in all sectors for
sectorial growth and management and a less than desirable use of ICT for collaboration
within and between sectors.

Today, even as sub-optimal performance levels in different spheres of development


highlight the utility of ICTs as an indispensable catalyst and a force-multiplier, and the
forces of globalisation and technological advancement makes it incumbent on Uganda to
leverage ICT for all-round growth and development, democratisation of ICTs is inevitably
drawing people towards it as they realise the value that ICT would add to their lives. Uganda
cannot miss the bus.

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2. Methodology adopted for Strategy


Formulation
Stage 1: Situational Analysis/ Assessment and Benchmarking
The current state was assessed in 7 identified pillars consistent with the 2014 ICT policy for
Uganda as follows:
Pillar 1 ICT Governance, Policy, Legal and Regulatory Framework;
Pillar 2 Infrastructure Development and Access;
Pillar 3 ICT Safety, Security and Standardisation;
Pillar 4 E-Services and Local Content Development;
Pillar 5 ICT Skills and Human Capital Development;
Pillar 6 Research, Innovation and Industrial Development; and
Pillar 7 Regional and International Cooperation.
Concurrent with the assessment a Best Practice Study was also undertaken of practices
being successfully followed elsewhere in the world in the sphere in prominent countries of
the world including US, UK, Australia, Germany, India, South Africa, Kenya, South Africa,
Singapore and many others.
Figure 2 brings out the overall approach
followed
for
proposing
Zone of
recommendations consequent to the
Current State
Recommendations
STAKEHOLDER
VIEW
situational analysis conducted. For
every recommendation made, recourse
has been taken to:
The current state as revealed by the
stakeholders participating in the
Current State
exercise (STAKEHOLDER VIEW);
Current State
EXPERIENCE VIEW
BEST
PRACTISE
VIEW
Experience and expertise available
with the consultant through
undertaking assignments of similar
nature (EXPERIENCE VIEW); and
Experiences and lessons available
Figure 2: Overall Approach for making Recommendations
from other countries though not
with consultant's participation, through literature available in the public domain (BEST
PRACTICE VIEW).
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Recommendations essentially lie at the confluence of the three regions, described as the
Zone of Recommendations.

UGANDA ICT FOR


DEVELOPMENT VISION

Expansion

ICT4D Trends
and Best
Practice Study

Based on the subject and


global development and trends
the subject area is broken
down into several pillars of
interventions in which
assessment would take place.
For every pillar (a) current state
assessment is accompanied by
(b) benchmarking study with
best practices and global
trends .

Countries and contexts are


first identified to see if the
benchmarking is tenable.
After this, gap identification
takes 2 forms: (a) existing
interventions to be done
differently (ENHANCE) or
(b) existing interventions are
incomplete and new
initiatives need to be taken
up (EXPAND)

Deliberations and
consultations will lead
to the Vision

PILLAR 7

Associated
Goal

Associated
Goal

PROGRAMME A
PROGRAMME B

Associated
Goal

From the current state,


requirements for the
Vision and the slew of
broad recommendations,
Strategic Themes will be
identified. Each of these
Themes will be associated
with a Goal as elaborated
in this to be realised as
part of the Vision.

Details of
Implementation
Action Plan for
Implementation
Budgetary
Allocations

PROGRAMME D

Prioritization of
Interventions

PROGRAMME E

Project Outcomes

PROGRAMME F
PROGRAMME G
PROGRAMME H

Strategic
Theme

PILLAR 6

ICT4D Strategic
Approach
Guidelines

PILLAR 5

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Vehicles of
Implementation

PROGRAMME C

Strategic
Theme

PILLAR 4

Associated
Goal

Strategic
Theme

PILLAR 3

Identified Thrust
Areas

List of all Recommendations

PILLAR 2

Enhancement

PILLAR 1

Approach for
Analysis

Strategic
Theme

Uganda ICT for


Development
Situational Analysis &
Assessment

Pillars of
Assessment

PROGRAMME I
PROGRAMME J
Each of the thrust area
would have a goal
associated with it that
will be realised through
programme(s).
Programmes, in turn,
would consist of a set
of projects and
activities. They would
be prioritized based on
their logical relation.

Project Ownership
Institutional
Framework
Monitoring and
Evaluation
Holistic Focus
including Policy/Legal/
Governance
Clear Ownership
Exclusive Institutional
Framework
Outcome based M&E
Framework
Evolutionary
Approach that will
proceed in degrees

Figure 3 Strategic Approach for the Preparation of the ICT Strategic Investment Plan

10

Figure 3 graphically summarizes the approach that has been adopted towards formulating
Uganda's ICT strategy and is contained in the following stages.

Stage 2: Analysis of Interventions


Analysis of interventions was done in the different pillars with a view to whether:
More activities or interventions needed to be taken up in addition to the ones that have
already taken place in the country (EXPANSION); or
The activities or interventions that were taken up needed to be conducted differently
from the way they were carried out in the past (ENHANCEMENT).

Stage 3: Envisioning ICT agenda for Ugandas development


Based on the findings from the Situational Analysis Report, the Vision for ICT for Uganda's
development was conceptualized, discussed and then finalized. The Vision formulated is for
the year 2015/16 and synchronistic with the ICT policy of Uganda.

Stage 4: Identify Strategic Focus Areas and Associated Strategic Goals


For realisation of the above Vision, Strategic Themes were conceptualised in which
interventions would be taken up with each theme being associated with a Goal to be met in
the intervening years. When compared with the Vision, the Goals are of narrower scope but
work towards realising the targets associated with the Vision.

Stage 5: Formulation of Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Each of these Goals and themes have been associated with programmes through which the
identified strategic interventions would be implemented. A programme is conceptualized as
an implementation vehicle for executing a set of strategic interventions.
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Stage 6: Formulation of Action Plan for Implementation of the ICT Strategy


Once the different programmes and strategic interventions were defined, they were put
together into an implementation plan, (the ICT Strategy and Investment Plan or the ICTSIP) that took into account prioritization factors, and the associated resource requirements
for implementation of the Action Plan. Clear responsibility lines have also been identified
for the implementation of the plan.

2.1

Strategic Architecture

The Strategic Architecture for Uganda's ICT-SIP illustrates how the strategy is structured in
terms of conceptualization and how the implementation shall be realised. There are three
(3) key tracks in which the architectural framework will operate:
1. The Strategic Elements or the different strategic entities that have been considered that
together constitute the whole ICT-SIP strategy;
2. The Strategic Attributes, or attributes by which strategic elements have been defined;
and
3. The Measurement Parameter, or the indicators that would be used to confirm if a
certain element denoted by pre-defined attributes has been accomplished or not.

With the above as a background, the following are of note:


The strategic elements used are (top-down) Vision Strategic Theme Action Area
Strategic Intervention Work plan;
The Vision would be realised through interventions in several themes each of which is
associated with a GOAL. The Vision itself will be associated with a TARGET;
Every theme would be realised through strategic interventions in one or more Action
Areas to achieve GOALS of the theme. Each such Action Area is associated with one or
more Strategic Objectives and Strategies. A programme would be the vehicle of
implementation for a group of strategic interventions;
Every strategic intervention is associated with tangible outputs. Generally speaking a
programme will be a long-range intervention to be implemented through strategic
interventions which are short-term measures;
Finally, the Work plan provides the template through which all the projects will be
implemented and will include time plan, manpower resource requirements, institutional
support, budgets, infrastructure, partnerships etc; and
Whereas Vision, Themes and Strategies are all design constructs, Programmes, Projects
and Work plan are implementation imperatives. Therefore, while the first three
represent the Effectiveness of planning, the last three denote the efficiency of
implementation.

VISION

Strategic
Element

ACTION AREA A

Strategic
Theme 1

Identified with Strategic


Objectives
ACTION AREA A

ACTION AREA B

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Strategies implemented
by

PROGRAMME A

STRATEGIC
INTERVENTION A1
STRATEGIC
INTERVENTION A2

PROGRAMME B
PROGRAMME C

Strategic Theme
2
Strategic Theme
n

ACTION AREA J

PROGRAMME J

Strategic
Attribute

Envisioned
Impact

Envisioned
Scenarios with
GOALS

Measurement
Parameter

Target for
Vision

Effectiveness- What is to be done

Impact
Indicators

Workplan
including
Timeplan
Resource
Reqmts
Institutional
Support
Budgets
Infrastructure
Partnerships etc

STRATEGIC
INTERVENTION Jn

Efficiency- How it is to be done

Strategic Objectives to be
realised by Programmes

Outcome Indicators

Strategic
Intervention
Outputs

Output
Indicators

Input
Requirements

Input
Indicators

Figure 4 Strategic Architecture for Uganda's ICT Strategy

Figure 4 represents the above description graphically.

3. Strategic Direction
Considerations that establish the business case for an ICT-SIP and Ugandas developmental
goals together underpin the ICT strategic direction for the country. This has been taken into
account and has informed the new strategic direction.

3.1

Vision

The following is the ICT Vision Statement for Uganda.

ICT as a transformative tool for Growth and Governance.

ConnectedUgand@2020
Deconstructing the Vision, the following are the three main components associated with
the Vision:
1. ICT for economic growth in Uganda through contributions by the ICT sector;
2. ICT as a tool for growth in Uganda in non-ICT sectors; and
3. ICT as a tool for governance.
Table 1 brings out the targets that have been associated with each of the vision components
above.
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Table 1 Vision Components and Associated Targets

Vision Component

Targets

ICT for economic growth in Uganda


through contributions from the ICT
sector

Contribution of the ICT sector into the


Ugandan GDP from <value> to <value> by 2020
Average growth rate in the ICT sector over the
plan period of 20%
Contribution of the ICT sector exports to be
<>% of the Ugandan exports by 2020
Direct employment to at least <> professionals
in the ICT sector

ICT as a tool for growth in Uganda in


non-ICT sectors

At least <>% of Ugandans aged 15 and above


regularly use ICT in their day-to-day activities;
At least five priority sectors of the Government
of Uganda are completely online by 2020

ICT as a tool for governance

At least 50% of eGovernment Services to be


online by 2020

13

3.2

Mission

To realise the above Vision and its associated targets the following has been identified as
the Mission statement:

To spearhead the creation of a complete ICT landscape through partnerships,


for a transformed Uganda.

3.3

Strategic Themes, Action Areas and Goals

A comprehensive collaborative exercise was conducted with stakeholders and the following
Strategic Themes were identified as the basic fundamental clusters of influence leading to
the realisation of the Vision:
1. Foundational Support for ICT Development;
2. Enabling Environment to spur growth of ICT;
3. ICT for Governance and Service Delivery; and
4. ICT as an Engine of Growth:
Each of the Strategic Themes mentioned above has been further conceptualised into Action
Areas in each strategic objectives have been proposed to be realised through strategic
interventions. Table 2 brings out the different Action Areas associated with the Strategic
Themes discussed above
Table 2 Strategic Themes and Action Areas

Strategic Themes

Action Areas

Foundational Support

A.
B.
C.
D.

Enabling Environment

E. Information Security
F. Research and Innovation
G. Promoting Local Content

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Policy, Legal and Regulatory Reform


Manpower Development and Planning
ICT Infrastructure
Institutional Framework

ICT for Governance and H. Promoting eServices


I. eGovernment
Service Delivery
ICT as an Engine of Growth

J.

ICT Industry Promotion in Target Markets

Goals Associated with the Strategic Themes


Table 3 brings out a brief description of each of the themes and the respective goals
associated with them.

14

Table 3 Goals Associated with the Strategic Themes

Strategic Theme

Goals

Foundational Support
(includes all components that
render foundational support to
the initiatives of the sector i.e
policy, legal, technology
infrastructure, and manpower
resources)

To put the complete support structure required by


2018 in terms of the following:
progressive policy, legal and regulatory
environment in place;
operational technology infrastructure elements
that are appropriate ;
requisite institutional framework implemented
and operational; and
industry academia collaborative framework for
the ICT sector in place and implemented.

Enabling Environment
(includes components in which
initiatives will inspire trust and
confidence in the use of ICTs and
includes information security,
local content, and research and
innovation)

ICT for Governance and Service


Delivery
(includes all interventions aimed
at harnessing the potential of
ICTs as an enabler of growth and
as a tool of governance)

ICT as an Engine of Growth


(includes interventions ensuring
that activities of the ICT sector
boost its contributions into
Uganda's GDP and exports)

3.4

30% of population using ICT to transact in the


wider society by 2019;
At least 50 start-ups in the ICT sector using the
National ICT Incubator Initiative; and
50% of SMEs adopting relevant home-grown
products and services.
ICT devices & services are available and
affordable by at least 40% Ugandans in the
country by 2017; and
50% of government services online by 2019.
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An upward movement of at least 20 ranks for


Uganda in all common ICT development indices
in use across the world by 2020; and
Active participation in regional ICT initiatives
Identification of at least 5 countries as target
markets for the ICT exports sub-sector.

Action Areas, Strategic Objectives and Strategic


Interventions

Additionally, Monitoring and Evaluation as a key intervention by which to track and


measure the progress of implementation and take course corrections is proposed as a crosscutting Action Area outside of the Strategic Themes.

A.

Policy, Legal and Regulatory Reform

The policy, legal and the regulatory framework ensures consistent support of the planned
initiatives and ensures responsiveness to the technological as well as business environment.

15

The proposed strategic objectives, strategies and interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective: To ensure a conducive policy, legal and regulatory


framework that is responsive to international, national
and industry demands.
Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed to be taken up:
Strategy 1: Review the policy, legal and regulatory framework to align it with international
norms and practices, national and industry needs.
Strategic Interventions:
A1 Update the policy framework to address requirements in the priority
areas of ICT industry development and promotion, research and
development, human capital development and ICT exports
A2: Review and implement a comprehensive Spectrum Policy and
Management Framework based on principles of technology & service
neutrality and economic valuation.
A3: Review and implement a comprehensive policy and management
framework for multi-sectoral infrastructure deployment and Sharing
including their enforcement modalities
A4: Finalise and ensure the implementation of the Data Protection legislation
for Uganda.
A5: Enact and enforce Anti-Spam legislation for Uganda
A6: Review, propose and operationalise policy provisions aimed at building
local capacity.
A7: Review and implement policy and attendant reforms in the postal sector
of Uganda.
A8: Develop the National Broadband Policy following a multi-stakeholder
collaborative approach
A9: Develop a Strategy for increasing access of ICT devices & services to
Special Interest Groups
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B.

Manpower Development and Planning

Being knowledge-intensive, the ICT sector would require unimpeded supplies of


appropriately skilled manpower in adequate numbers if envisioned targets are to be
realised. Strategic and collaborative interventions between academia and industry are
required to ensure that the right numbers of manpower resources with the required
competencies are timely available. The proposed strategic objectives, strategies and
interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective: To develop and nurture a competitive domestic human


resource base in adequate numbers.
Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:

16

Strategy 1: Develop critical mass of ICT skilled Ugandans and industry ready workforce.
Strategic Interventions:
B1: Establish the current stock and quality of ICT competencies in the
country
B2: Develop and support the implementation of a strategy for ICT capacity
building
B3: Implement the certification and accreditation for ICT professionals
B4: Partner with Ministry of Education and training institutions to develop
and implement ICT training curriculum tailored to industry needs
B5: Develop and implement a mechanism for joint planning and ICT
internship between academia and the industry
B6: Develop and implement targeted capacity building for ICT teachers
B7: Facilitate connectivity of schools and tertiary institutions for eLearning

C.

ICT Infrastructure

The establishment of a functioning ICT infrastructure is a prerequisite for the efficient


delivery of services. The proposed strategic objectives, strategies and interventions are as
below.

Strategic Objective:

To develop an interoperable and secure country-wide


ICT infrastructure.

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
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Strategy 1: Facilitate infrastructure rollout


Strategic Interventions:
C1: Establish ICT Incubation Centres around public universities and research
institutions
C2: Extend Support to Other ICT Incubation initiatives
C3: Establish ICT Parks
C4: Implement a Strategy for rationalisation of ICT initiatives in Government
Strategy 2: Ensure nation-wide access to broadband
Strategic Interventions:
C5: Monitor the implementation of ICT infrastructure in line with the
National Broadband Strategy
C6: Extend NBI to cover the NDPII priority areas and ensure interconnectivity
with neighbouring countries
Strategy 3: Ensure accessible, reliable and fast communication services
Strategic Interventions:
C7: Promote production and use of low-cost locally assembled devices in
collaboration with the private sector

17

C8: Develop, publish and enforce Standards related to ICT devices &
equipment for wider circulation.
C9: Implement last mile connectivity countrywide in partnership with the
private sector
C10: Develop and implement a National Master Plan for postal and courier
services of Uganda to take advantage of new opportunities offered by
ICT

D.

Institutional Framework

The general purpose and cross-cutting nature of ICT requires institutional arrangements
and coordination mechanisms that ensure the coherence of policies and investments across
all relevant sectors. Such an integrated approach is even more important for developing
countries where resources and skills are scarce. The proposed strategic objectives,
strategies and interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective:

To strengthen the ICT institutional framework to drive


the national ICT agenda

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
Strategy 1: Establish a multi-institutional collaborative framework to drive the ICT agenda
Strategic Interventions:
D1: Review and align the existing institutional framework
D2: Build institutional capacities to ensure development, implementation
and enforcement of policies, laws and regulations
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E.

Information Security

In an increasingly knowledge-driven and networked world activities that are in breach of


lawful online conduct lead to an erosion of trust and confidence. To combat these threats
while it is important that, on one hand, measures are taken towards creating an awareness
of what is desirable and building capacities for the same, on the other it must be followed
up with an enforcement and compliance regime. The proposed strategic objectives,
strategies and interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective:

To develop a secure, reliable and resilient information


security system with national capacity to respond to
cyber security threats

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
Strategy 1: Implement the National Information Security Strategy
Strategic Interventions:

18

E1: Operationalise a multi-sectoral collaborative framework on Information


Security e.g. National Information Security Advisory Group
Strategy 2: Ensure protection of consumers of ICT services
Strategic Interventions:
E2: Build capacity of key institutions across the board (legislature, judiciary,
law enforcement agencies etc)
E3: Mount concerted ICT security awareness campaigns
E4: Develop national authentication mechanisms like PKI
E5: Establish the national CERT
E6 Implement website regulation and social media for government
E7: Establish and maintain partnership agreements with regional players on
information security with partner states

F.

Research and Innovation

In the inherently dynamic and globalised ICT sector, the marketplace is becoming
increasingly competitive with more players climbing onto the bandwagon and exploring
ever newer ways of working to increase their productivity levels in order to keep abreast
with technology advancements, business needs and discovering virgin areas in which to
operate as a way to maintain their competitive advantage. Research is envisaged as a
critical enabler for both of these developments. The proposed strategic objectives,
strategies and interventions are as below.
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Strategic Objective:

Promote Research and Development of ICT and


Relevant ICT enabled services

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
Strategy 1: Create an enabling environment to support R&D
Strategic Interventions:
F1: Establish an ICT Research and Innovation Fund
Strategy 2: Enhance participation of academia in Research and Innovation for ICT based
solutions to local and regional problems
Strategic Interventions:
F2: Support the private sector in establishing centres of excellence
F3: Develop a framework for collaboration with research/academia for
developing industry required solutions including MoUs, SLAs, etc
F4: Explore Public Private Partnerships in research and development
F5: Develop and implement a Multi-sectorial & multi-stakeholder framework
for driving ICT Research and Innovation

19

G.

Promoting Local Content

Local content is an expression and communication of a communitys locally generated,


owned and adapted knowledge and experience that is relevant to the communitys
situation. The proportion of local content on ICT is low in Uganda and its proliferation is
considered by many as major pull-factor in lifting the currently lagging ICT adoption among
communities in Uganda. The proposed strategic objectives, strategies and interventions are
as below.

Strategic Objective:

Develop a framework for facilitating the development


and access to a wide range of relevant content for the
various communication mediums

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
Strategy 1: Enhance capacity for local content development and usage in the various ICT
Sector services.
Strategic Interventions:
G1: Incentivize the development of Local Content for ICT services
G2: Develop and implement a strategy for promoting local content
development for ICT services
Strategy 2: Promote use of locally developed solutions and applications
Strategic Interventions:
G3: Develop and implement incentive scheme for SMEs adopting and using
locally developed ICT solutions, products and applications
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H.

Promoting eServices

The impact of ICTs range from how operations are performed in our daily lives, to the way
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) function, to how governments and large multinational corporations provide services to citizens. The use of ICT in business is considered
key not just to business administration but also its growth. The proposed strategic
objectives, strategies and interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective:

Promote online transaction-based services among


citizens

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
Strategy 1: Increase the use of eBusiness tools including ePayments
Strategic Interventions:
H1: Encourage the use of ICT tools for trade, service delivery and exchange of
information

20

H2: Promote the development and use of ICT value-added services


H3: Incentivize the adoption of ICT in SMEs

I.

eGovernment

eGovernment, is considered as the application of ICTs to government functions and


procedures with the purpose of increasing efficiency, transparency, citizen participation. .
The proposed strategic objectives, strategies and interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective: Ensure effective and efficient government services


Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed:
Strategy 1: Enhance integration and automation of government services
Strategic Interventions:
I1: Ensure automation and integration of priority sectors and services i.e.
National ID, eProcurement, Single Window for Government services, eAgriculture, e-Tourism, e-Education, Energy, e-Health, and e-Justice)
I2: Establish an electronic document management and workflow system for
government
I3
Digital archiving and Digitalization of Government records
I4: Establish Ug-Cloud
I5: Implement the eGovernment interoperability framework
I6: Develop an institutional framework for implementation of eGovernment
I7: Support the implementation of the National Financial Information
System
ZERO D RAFT

Strategy 2: Enhance development and uptake of eGovernment services


Strategic Interventions:
I8: Establish information access centre
I9: Implement the Government Citizen Interaction Centre (GCIC)
I10: Deploy open source and mobile apps for eGovernment operations with an
eye on replicability
I11: Develop and implement a change management strategy
I12: Build capacity for eGovernment adoption

J.

ICT Industry Promotion in Target Markets

As a country, the need to market our ICT goods and services both locally and globally
represents a major area of interest in revenue terms. It also has the potential of being major
engine of growth for the ICT sector in Uganda. The proposed strategic objectives, strategies
and interventions are as below.

Strategic Objective: To promote Uganda as an ICT Hub

21

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed to be taken up:
Strategy 1: Work with other countries of the region on a mutually beneficial basis for allround development of the ICT sector
Strategic Interventions:
J1: Undertake joint interventions with neighbouring countries to explore
areas of competitive strengths and interests

Strategic Objective:

To promote Ugandan ICT goods and services


internationally

Under the above strategic objective the following strategies and accompanying strategic
interventions are proposed to be taken up:
Strategy 1: Position Uganda competitively in the Global ICT market
Strategic Interventions:
J2: Develop and implement a strategy to promote Uganda as an attractive
offshoring centre of the world
J3: Undertake market intelligence to identify target markets and target
services
J4: Incentivize and reward companies that invest in promoting Ugandas ICT
abroad
J5: Empower Ugandan Missions abroad in promoting country
J6: Prioritize participation in regional ICT initiatives
J7: Ensure ratification of signed protocols
J8: Elicit export development plans from the ICT industry at least on an
annual basis and dovetail the same with country promotion efforts for
Uganda in the ICT sector
ZERO D RAFT

Delivery of the Strategy: Strategic Interventions by Action Areas.


In order for the agreed goals to be achieved, strategic interventions were identified and
aligned to the strategic objectives. From these, action areas or programs where developed
as the vehicles for delivery of the strategy. Table 4 highlights this relationship.

22

Table 4 Consolidated List of Action Areas, Strategic Objectives, Strategies and Strategic Interventions

Action Areas/
Programmes

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

Strategic Interventions

Action Area: Policy,


Objective 1:
Legal and Regulatory
to ensure a conducive
Reform
policy, legal and
Programme Name:
regulatory framework
Pl@tform
that is responsive to
international, national
and industry demands

Strategy 1:

Action Area:
Manpower
Development and

Strategy 1:

A1: Design a policy framework to address


requirements in the priority areas of ICT industry
development and promotion, research and
development and ICT exports
A2: Review and implement a comprehensive
Spectrum Policy and Management Framework
based on principles of technology and service
neutrality and economic valuation.
A3: Review and implement a comprehensive policy
and management framework for Infrastructure
Sharing and Rights of Way and recommend their
enforcement modalities
A4: Finalise and ensure the implementation of the
draft Data Protection legislation for Uganda.
A5: Enact and enforce Anti-Spam legislation for
Uganda
A6: Review, propose and operationalise policy
provisions aimed at building local capacity.
A7: Review and implement policy and attendant
reforms in the postal sector of Uganda.
A8: Develop the National Broadband Policy following
a multi-stakeholder collaborative approach
A9: Develop a Strategy for increasing access of ICT
devices to Special Interest Groups
B1: Establish the current stock and quality of ICT
competencies in the country (capacity building
needs assessment)
B2: Develop and support the implementation of a

Objective 1:

Review the policy,


legal and regulatory
framework to align it
with international
norms and practices,
national and industry
needs.

To develop and nurture Develop critical mass


a competitive domestic of ICT skilled

23

Action Areas/
Programmes
Planning
Programme Name:
eMpower

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

human resource base


in adequate numbers

Ugandans and
industry ready
workforce

Strategic Interventions
B3:
B4:

B5:

B6:
B7:

Action Area: ICT


Infrastructure
Programme Name:
infraCOMM

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

To develop an
interoperable and
secure country-wide
ICT infrastructure that
will support

Facilitate
infrastructure rollout

Strategy 2:
Ensure nation-wide
access to broadband

strategy for ICT capacity building


Implement the certification and accreditation for
ICT professionals
Partner with Ministry of Education and training
institutions to develop as well as implement ICT
training curriculum tailored to industry needs
Develop and implement a mechanism for joint
planning and ICT internship between academia
and the industry
Develop and implement targeted capacity
building for ICT teachers
Facilitate connectivity of schools and institutions
for eLearning

C1: Establish ICT Incubation Centres around public


universities and research institutions
C2: Extend Support to Other ICT Incubation initiatives
C3: Establish ICT Parks
C4: Implement a Strategy for rationalisation of ICT
initiatives in Government
C5: Monitor the implementation of ICT infrastructure
in line with the National Broadband Strategy
C6: Extend NBI to cover the NDPII priority areas and
ensure interconnectivity with neighbouring
countries (Including missing links connectivity)

24

Action Areas/
Programmes

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

Strategic Interventions

Strategy 3:

C7: Promote production and use of low-cost locally


assembled devices in collaboration with the
private sector
C8: Develop, publish and enforce Standards related to
ICT devices & equipment for wider circulation.
C9: Implement last mile connectivity countrywide in
partnership with the private sector

Ensure accessible,
reliable and fast
communication
services

C10: Develop and implement a National Master Plan for


postal and courier services of Uganda to take
advantage of new opportunities offered by ICT
Action Area:
Institutional
Framework
Programme Name:
BASIS2

Action Area:
Information Security
Programme Name:
infoSECURE

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

To strengthen the ICT


institutional
framework to drive the
national ICT agenda

Establish a multiinstitutional
collaborative
framework to drive
the ICT agenda

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

To develop a secure,
reliable and resilient
information security

Implement the
National Information
Security Strategy

D1: Review and align the existing institutional


framework
D2: Building institutional capacities
D3: Position the facilitation desk based on
recommendations of the above exercise

E1: Operationalise a multi-sectoral collaborative


framework on Information Security e.g. National
Information Security Advisory Group

Building a Structure for Institutional Support


25

Action Areas/
Programmes

Action Area:
Research and
Innovation
Programme Name:
Ideas2Industry

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

Strategic Interventions

system with national


capacity to respond to
cyber security threats

Strategy 2:

E2: Build capacity of key institutions across the board


(legislature, judiciary, law enforcement agencies
etc)
E3: Mount concerted ICT security awareness
campaigns
E4: Develop national authentication mechanisms like
PKI
E5: Establish the national CERT
E6 Implement website regulation and social media for
government
E7: Establish and maintain partnership agreements
with regional players on information security with
partner states

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

Promote Research and


Development of ICT
and Relevant ICT
enabled services

Create an enabling
environment to
support R&D

Ensure protection of
consumers of ICT
services

F1: Establish an ICT Research and Innovation Fund

Strategy 2:

F2:

Enhance participation
of academia in
Research and
Innovation for ICT
based solutions to
local and regional
problems

F3:
F4:
F5:

Collaboration with private sector to establish the


centres of excellence
Develop a framework for collaboration with
research/academia including MoUs, SLAs, etc
PPPs in research and development
Develop and implement a Multi-sectorial & multistakeholder framework

26

Action Areas/
Programmes
Action Area:
Promoting Local
Content
Programme Name:
LocalConnICT

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

Strategic Interventions

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

Develop a framework
for facilitating the
development and
access to a wide range
of relevant content for
the various
communication
mediums

Enhance capacity for


local content
development and
usage in the various
ICT Sector services to
integrate ICTs in
social and commercial
aspects of the
Economy

G1: Incentivize the development, adoption and use of


Local Content
G2: Develop and implement a strategy for promoting
local content development and harmonization

G3: Develop and implement incentive scheme for


SMEs using locally developed ICT solutions,
products and applications
Promote use of locally
developed solutions
and applications
Strategy 2:

Action Area:
Promoting eServices
Programme Name:
eTransform

Action Area:
eGovernment
Programme Name:

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

Ensure online
transaction-based
services among
citizens

Increase the use of


eBusiness tools
including ePayments

H1: Encourage the use of ICT tools for trade, service


delivery and exchange of information
H2: Promote the development and use of value-added
services
H3: Incentivize the adoption of ICT in SMEs

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

I1:

Ensure effective and


efficient government

Enhance integration
and automation of
government services

I2:

Ensure connectivity of priority sectors i.e.


agriculture, health, justice, etc
Establish an electronic document management
and workflow system for government
27

Action Areas/
Programmes
uGovernment.ug

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

Strategic Interventions

services

(National ID,
eProcurement, Single
Window for
Government,
Agriculture, Tourism,
Education, Energy,
Health, and Justice)

I3
I4:
I5:
I6:
I7:

Strategy 2:
Enhance
development and
uptake of
eGovernment
services

Action Area: ICT


Industry Promotion
in Target Markets
Programme Name:
Br@nd Uganda

Objective 1:

Strategy 1:

To promote Uganda as
an ICT Hub

Work with other


countries of the
region on a win-win
basis for all-round
development of the
ICT sector

Digital archiving and Digitalization of Government


records
Establish Ug-Cloud
Implement the eGovernment interoperability
framework
Develop an institutional framework for
implementation of eGovernment
Support the implementation of the National
Financial Information System

I8:
I9:

Establish information access centre


Implement the Government Citizen Interaction
Centre (GCIC)
I10: Deploy open source and mobile apps for
eGovernment operations with an eye on
replicability
I11: Develop and implement a change management
strategy
I12: Build capacity for eGovernment adoption
J1:

Undertake collaborative exercises with countries


of the region on a win-win basis to explore areas
of competitive strength and interests in order to
contribute to all-round regional progress

28

Action Areas/
Programmes

Strategic Objectives

Strategies

Strategic Interventions

Objective 2:

Strategy 1:

J2:

To promote Ugandan
ICT goods and services
internationally

Position Uganda
competitively in the
Global ICT market

J3:
J4:
J5:
J6:
J7:
J8:

Develop and implement a strategy to promote


Uganda as an attractive offshoring centre of the
world
Undertake market intelligence to identify target
markets and target services
Incentivize and reward companies that invest in
promoting Ugandas ICT abroad
Empower Uganda Mission abroad in promoting
country
Prioritize participation in regional ICT initiatives
Ensure ratification of signed protocol
Elicit export development plans from the ICT
industry at least on an annual basis and dovetail
the same with country promotion efforts for
Uganda in the ICT sector

29

3.5

Action Plan

The Action Plan will serve as the Implementation Plan or Roadmap for harmonization as well as alignment of the various
institutional strategic plans with the ICT SIP.
Table 5 Action Plan for Implementation of ICT-SIP

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

PROGRAMME Pl@tform
A1:

A2:

A3:

A4:

A5:

Design a policy framework to address


requirements in the priority areas of
ICT industry development and
promotion, research and
development and ICT exports
Review and implement a
comprehensive Spectrum Policy and
Management Framework based on
principles of technology and service
neutrality and economic valuation.
Review and implement a
comprehensive policy and
management framework for
Infrastructure Sharing and Rights of
Way and recommend their
enforcement modalities
Finalise and ensure the
implementation of the draft Data
Protection legislation for Uganda.
Enact and enforce Anti-Spam
legislation for Uganda
30

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

A6: Review, propose and operationalise


policy provisions aimed at building
local capacity.
A7: Review and implement policy and
attendant reforms in the postal
sector of Uganda.
A8: Develop the National Broadband
Policy following a multi-stakeholder
collaborative approach
A9: Develop and implement guidelines to
be followed by all utility service
providers in respect of ICT facilities,
Right of Way, and DigOnce in
collaboration with the other utility
service providers
A10: Develop a Strategy for increasing
access of ICT devices to Special
Interest Groups

PROGRAMME eMpower
B1:

B2:

B3:

Establish the current stock and


quality of ICT competencies in the
country (capacity building needs
assessment)
Develop and support the
implementation of a strategy for ICT
capacity building
Implement the certification and
accreditation for ICT professionals
31

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

B4:

Partner with Ministry of Education


and training institutions to develop as
well as implement ICT training
curriculum tailored to industry needs
B5: Develop and implement a
mechanism for joint planning and ICT
internship between academia and
the industry
B6: Develop and implement targeted
capacity building for ICT teachers
B7: Facilitate connectivity of schools and
institutions for eLearning

PROGRAMME infraCOMM
C1:

C2:
C3:
C4:

C5:

C6:

Establish ICT Incubation Centres


around public universities and
research institutions
Extend Support to Other ICT
Incubation initiatives
Establish ICT Parks
Implement a Strategy for
rationalisation of ICT initiatives in
Government
Monitor the implementation of ICT
infrastructure in line with the
National Broadband Strategy
Extend NBI to cover the NDPII
priority areas and ensure
interconnectivity with neighbouring
32

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

C7:

C8:

C9:

C10:

C11:

C12:

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

countries
Promote production and use of lowcost locally assembled devices in
collaboration with the private sector
Develop, publish and enforce
Standards related to ICT devices &
equipment for wider circulation.
Implement last mile connectivity
countrywide in partnership with the
private sector
Develop and implement a National
Master Plan for postal and courier
services of Uganda to take advantage
of new opportunities offered by ICT
Ensure the existence of nation-wide
coverage of digital broadcasting
signal
Provide Access and Usage of ICTs to
priority areas (agriculture, health,
education, energy, and justice, etc)
and special interest groups

PROGRAMME BASIS
D1:
D2:

Review and align the existing


institutional framework
Building institutional capacities

PROGRAMME infoSECURE
E1:

Operationalise a multi-sectoral
collaborative framework on
Information Security e.g. National
33

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

E2:

E3:
E4:
E5:
E6
E7:

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

Information Security Advisory Group


Build capacity of key institutions
across the board (legislature,
judiciary, law enforcement agencies
etc)
Mount concerted ICT security
awareness campaigns
Develop national authentication
mechanisms like PKI
Establish the national CERT
Implement website regulation and
social media for government
Establish and maintain partnership
agreements with regional players on
information security with partner
states

PROGRAMME Ideas2Industry
F1:
F2:
F3:

F4:

F5:

Establish an ICT Research and


Innovation Fund
Collaboration with private sector to
establish the centres of excellence
Develop a framework for
collaboration with research/academia
including MoUs, SLAs, etc
Incentivize world class ICT training
and research institution to set-up in
Uganda
Develop and implement a Multisectorial & multi-stakeholder
34

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

framework

PROGRAMME LocalConnICT
G1: Incentivize the development,
adoption and use of Local Content
G2: Develop and implement a strategy
for promoting local content
development and harmonization
G3: Develop and implement incentive
scheme for SMEs using locally
developed ICT solutions, products
and applications

PROGRAMME eTransform
H1:

Encourage the use of ICT tools for


trade, service delivery and exchange
of information
H2: Promote the development and use of
value-added services
H3: Incentivize the adoption of ICT in
SMEs

PROGRAMME uGovernment.ug
I1:

I2:

I3

Provide technical support to MDAs in


establishing electronic processes and
systems
Establish an electronic document
management and workflow system
for government
Digital archiving and Digitalization of
Government records
35

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

I4:

Implement the eGovernment


interoperability framework
I5: Strengthen the institutional
framework for implementation of
eGovernment
I6 Technical Support to implementation
of Online Citizen Participation
platforms
I7: Deploy open source and mobile apps
for eGovernment operations with an
eye on replicability
I8: Develop and implement a change
management strategy

PROGRAMME Br@nd Uganda


J1:

J2:

J3:

J4:

Undertake collaborative exercises


with countries of the region on a winwin basis to explore areas of
competitive strength and interests in
order to contribute to all-round
regional progress
Develop and implement a strategy to
promote Uganda as an attractive
offshoring centre of the world
Undertake market intelligence to
identify target markets and target
services
Incentivize and reward companies
that invest in promoting Ugandas
36

Q3

Q4

Year 1

Programmes and Strategic Interventions


Q1

J5:
J6:

J7:

Q2

Q3

Year 2
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 3
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 4
Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Year 5
Q4

Q1

Q2

ICT abroad
Empower Uganda Mission abroad in
promoting country
Prioritize participation in regional ICT
initiatives and ensure ratification of
signed protocol
Elicit export development plans from
the ICT industry at least on an annual
basis and dovetail the same with
country promotion efforts for
Uganda in the ICT sector

37

Q3

Q4

38

4. Implementation
For a smooth implementation of the ICT-SIP the following should be borne in mind.
At the leadership level continued involvement and ownership of the initiatives that are
planned will comfort implementers with a sense of continuity and commitment; the
emphasis must be on continuance of the same individual(s) even if his/her place of
employment changes;
Clear ownership and accountability structures through unambiguous roles and
responsibilities for participating entities in implementation must be established; this will
enable collaboration among them too;
It must be ensured that appropriate and compatible skill sets are deployed for the
initiatives proposed using resident skill sets even as room is provided for induction from
outside; and
Proper monitoring and evaluating mechanisms which define terms under which a review of
initiatives would be done should be put in place to facilitate regular stock-taking of the
progress achieved during implementation.

4.1

Critical Success Factors

The following are identified as some of the key Critical Success Factors that would influence
the implementation of this strategy:
1. Coming on board of all stakeholders (particularly different agencies of the government and
members from the ICT industry)
Being a national level strategic plan the ambit of the plan covers all of the ICT sector.
Should the involvement be less than envisaged the benefits emanating out of this exercise
will be less than expected. This may even set an unwelcome precedent. It is necessary,
therefore, to have the involvement of all concerned stakeholders in this exercise in a winwin spirit.
2. Continued Budgetary Support
Since the implementation plans spans across five years it is important that there be
sustained commitment and budgetary support required for the Action Plan all through its
course. In fact, there must not only be continued political and executive commitment
which is a pre-requisite for a successful implementation of this plan, but also a
commensurate participation and ownership from members of the ICT industry and
academia.
3. Consistent and Continued Commitment
It is recommended that preferably the set of people who were associated with the planning
be retained in key roles for its implementation. Being really a comprehensive exercise, a
change in the team composition during its implementation may just mean that the finer

39

nuances painstakingly conceptualized during the planning phase may just get lost during
its implementation.
4. Proper selection / recruitment of individuals
The ICT sector Institutional Framework will be a newly constituted unit formed as a result
of recommendations. Care must be taken while selecting individuals who take up these
roles since they play a very central role in the overall implementation of the plan
5. Expectation Management
Concerted measures are required for managing expectation of ICT-SIP from stakeholders
in all quarters. There is a need to convey that the plan is not really a panacea or that it
would deliver results overnight and that this essentially will deliver the best results only in
the long term.
6. Due Representation to all Groups
While committees, project groups and other institutional structures have been formed at
different levels (for example, the project and programme levels) and owners have been
assigned for the different projects identified to be taken up, team composition has been
deliberately kept open. However, every effort needs to be made to rope in as many
stakeholder groups of interest as is possible without causing undue delay in the
implementation.

4.2

Monitoring and Evaluation of Initiatives in the ICT


Sector

Monitoring and evaluation needs to be a key component for the implementation of all
strategies as a principal instrument with which to gage the extent of deviation of the
implementation process from what was intended in the plan. By checking early any such
deviation that might arise monitoring performs a key role in limiting the extent of deviation
and deploying course correctives either by bridging any gaps in the implementation process
itself or by bringing into consideration any unaccounted variable in the plan.

Table 6 brings out strategies to be followed for a proper monitoring and evaluation f the sector
and the corresponding interventions.
Table 6 Strategies and Interventions for Monitoring the ICT-SIP

Strategies

Interventions

Finalise definitions for ICT sector and ICT


services aligned with current international
practice.

ME1:

Undertake collaborative exercises to


finalise definitions for ICT sector
and ICT services and ensure
compliance through sustained usage

40

Strategies

Interventions

Define a comprehensive list of ICT


indicators, monitor their progress and
disseminate the results

ME2:

Conduct an exercise for an elaborate


monitoring framework for the
development of ICT sector in Uganda
in collaboration with all major ICT
data collection agencies

ME3:

Disseminate the development of the


sector through an Annual State of
ICT Report for Uganda

ME4:

Design and Operationalise an ICT


Indicators Portal

4.3

Implementation Risks and Mitigation Measures

Table 7 brings out a few risks that are considered relevant at this stage. Appendix C brings out
in more detail the mitigation measures that could be deployed.
Table 7 Implementation Risks and their description

Risk

Description

Lack of
Consistent and
Continued
political and
executive support

Both political and executive support is important here, since even as the
former lends direction, the latter is the part that would ensure execution
as envisaged. Also, it is important that the support not just be consistent
with strategies that constitute the plan but also be continued without
any major lapses.

Non-availability
of funds

Measures recommended as part of the plan must be supported with a


continued supply of adequate funding as required

Expecting results
too soon

There is a chance that in the over-eagerness to implement the plan, too


much is attempted to be delivered and too soon without considering
how realistic that would be.

Delay in
implementation

Delay in implementation could arise owing to many reasons for


example, non-availability of stakeholders, delay in necessary approvals,
delay in the formation of the requisite institutional structures for
implementation and the like.

Going by the

Projects in the plan are based mainly on findings as of 2014; however,

41

Risk

Description

book

technology being a fast-evolving field realities are prone to changes.


Going by the book may not always deliver the required results. What is
required is find out measures that need to be taken in the light of
emerging realities

Inadequate
collaboration
between
stakeholders

Inadequate collaboration would not make for timely inputs from the
different stakeholder groups as to what is required to be done in light of
emerging realities.

Change at the
helm of affairs

Delays would also result in all activities where the delayed activity is a
pre-requisite.

Irregular
monitoring

Change at the top level whether executive or political can hinder the
progress of activities of the plan

42

5. Budget
Summary
Details can be found in the appendices.

ZERO D RAFT

43

6. Appendices
6.1

Appendix A: ICT-SIP Communication Framework

The ICT-SIP Communication Framework involves two sets of variables:


The Stakeholder Groups; and
The Communication Platforms.

Stakeholder Groups
Table 8 brings out the different types of stakeholder groups involved that partake of the
communication of the ICT-SIP.

Stakeholders Abroad
(Target countries or
countries of the region)

Ugandan Citizen

Civil Society in Uganda

Other Government Levels

ICT Industry in Uganda

This group
comprises the
members of the
Steering Committee
for the ICT-SIP
implementation and
are involved at the
apex level in all
decision-making
that takes place
with respect to the
ICT-SIP. The group
comprises members
from different
stakeholder
communities as on
the right.

ZERO D RAFT

Academia in Uganda

Policy
Group

Executive Leadership

Stakeholder
Description
Group

Political Leadership

Table 8 Stakeholder Groups of the ICT-SIP from a Communication Framework Perspective

44

Civil Society in Uganda

Stakeholders Abroad
(Target countries or
countries of the region)

ICT Industry in Uganda

Ugandan Citizen

Academia in Uganda

The Extended
Group represents
the extended
technical group of
the ICT-SIP and
comprises members
of the different
Project
Management
Groups under the 10
different
programmes
proposed for
implementation of

Other Government Levels

Extended
Group

The Core Group


represents the core
technical group of
the ICT-SIP and
comprises members
of the teams
responsible for
implementation of
the programmes
proposed for
implementation of
the ICT-SIP. The
group comprises
members from
different
stakeholder
communities as on
the right.

Executive Leadership

Core Group

Political Leadership

Stakeholder
Description
Group

ZERO D RAFT

45

Academia in Uganda

ICT Industry in Uganda

Civil Society in Uganda

Ugandan Citizen

Stakeholders Abroad
(Target countries or
countries of the region)

Other Government Levels

Executive Leadership

Political Leadership

Stakeholder
Description
Group

the ICT-SIP. The


group comprises
members from
different
stakeholder
communities as on
the right.
Beneficiary
Group

The Beneficiary
Group comprises
those who are
targeted to benefit
from the different
initiatives of the
ICT-SIP. The group
comprises members
from different
stakeholder
communities as on
the right.

Wider
The wider
Stakeholder stakeholder groups
Community includes those from
within and outside
Uganda who would
have interest in the
ICT-SIP either for
business interests,
for research
purposes or just for
information. The
group comprises

ZERO D RAFT

46

Stakeholders Abroad
(Target countries or
countries of the region)

Ugandan Citizen

Civil Society in Uganda

ICT Industry in Uganda

Academia in Uganda

Other Government Levels

Executive Leadership

Political Leadership

Stakeholder
Description
Group

members from
different
stakeholder
communities as on
the right.

Communication Platforms
Table 9 brings out the different communication platforms under consideration.
Table 9 Communication Platforms for ICT-SIP

Communication Platform

Description
ZERO D RAFT

Steering Committee Level


Deliberations

This represents all deliberations that take place at the level of


Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee where major decisions
related to the ICT-SIP are arrived at.

Programme Governance
Committee Level
Deliberations

This represents all discussions that take place at the level of


individual programmes where major project updates and
developments are discussed and decisions related to the
programmes are taken.

Project Management
Group Level Deliberations

This indicates all discussions on individual project execution that


takes place at the level of the Project Management Groups.

Media Coverage in
Uganda

Communication and awareness generated about the ICT-SIP at


the level in Ugandan print and electronic media are included in
this category.

Social Media Coverage

Social media is also envisaged as a communication platform for


the ICT-SIP at project, programme and whole-of-strategy levels
through dedicated social media accounts declared official.
Facebook, Twitter and Google+, at the minimum, must be

47

Communication Platform

Description
explored though others may be tried too. Dedicated web portals
and mobile applications, for instance to collect feedback may be
explored too.

Annual ICT Conference


and Local/ Regional
Chapters of the same

The Annual ICT Conference is planned to be a major vehicle to


communicate and spread awareness of different initiatives being
taken up as part of ICT-SIP. Should circumstances be conducive,
regional and local chapters may be tried too and sustained,
based on participation received.

State of the ICT Report


and Other Publications

A biennial State of the ICT Report for Uganda is also one of the
planned vehicles of communication envisaged. From time to
time other publications could also be considered.

Communication in other
countries- Conferences,
Roadshows,
Advertisements etc

Country branding efforts are envisaged under Programme E as


part of which conferences, roadshows, media clips and other
modes of publicity and awareness spreading are to be explored
and in sync with engagements being planned by other wings of
the Government of Uganda.
ZERO D RAFT

Figure 5 captures the different stakeholder groups and the roles they would play on different
communication platforms as discussed above for communication and awareness spreading
related to the implementation of ICT-SIP and any other related matter.

48

Communication
Engagement

Policy Group

Core Group

Extended Group

Beneficiaries

Steering
Committee Level
Deliberations
At the Steering
Committee level
responsible for
major decisions
as regards the
ICT-SIP
No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
for presence/
views on specific
matters

No active/ major
role to play but
receives
periodical
updates and
requests for help
At the
Programme level
responsible for
executing the
programme and
its outcomes

No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
for presence/
views on specific
matters

No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
for presence/
views on specific
matters

No role to play

Wider Stakeholder
Group

No role to play

Political Leadership

Executive Leadership

Civil Society in Uganda

Programme
Committee Level
Deliberations

Ugandan Citizen

No role to play

No role to play

Project Group
Level
Deliberations

Media Coverage
in Uganda

Social Media
Coverage

Annual ICT
State of the ICT
Conference and Report and other
Local Chapters
publications

Other CountriesWorkshops,
Roadshows etc

Steering
Committee under
the Chairperson
sole authority to
represent ICTSIP in media
No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
to represent on
specific matters

SC/ Chperson
responsible for
representational
issues on social
media; has the
Twitter handle
Programme
heads maintains
respective
sections of social
media on their
programmes

Chairperson of
SC will launch
the conference
and participate in
line with agenda

Chairperson of
SC will launch
the Annual
Report; write
specific sections
like Foreword etc
Programme
Contribute to
heads could be specific sections
asked to
of the annual
coordinate
and other
identified themes publications
of conference

Provide
guidance and
coordination;
necessary
approvals

No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
to represent on
specific matters

No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
to represent on
specific issues

Participate in line Contribute to


with conference specific sections
agenda
of the annual
and other
publications

No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
on specific
matters

No role to play

Receivers of
information and
updates and
interact where
required

No role to play

Receivers of
information and
updates and
interact where
required

Receivers of
information and
updates; interact
and provide
feedback/ views,
share information
Receivers of
information and
updates; interact
and provide
feedback/ views,
share information

Receivers of
Receivers of
information and information and
updates; interact updates; provide
and provide
feedback/ views,
feedback/ views, share, contribute
share, participate to specific sections
Receivers of
Receivers of
information and information and
updates; interact updates; provide
and provide
feedback/ views,
feedback/ views, share, contribute
share, participate to specific sections

No role to play

No active/ major
role to play but
receives
periodical
updates and
requests for help
At the Project
level solely
responsible for
executing the
project and
realizing outputs

Other Governmental Levels

ZERO D RAFT

ICT Industry in Uganda

No active/ major
role to play;
could be asked
on specific
matters

No role to play

Receivers of
information and
updates; interact
and provide
feedback/ views,
share, participate

Academia in Uganda

Stakeholders Abroad (Target Countries and Other Countries of the Region)


Figure 5: ICT-SIP Communication Framework

49

6.2

Appendix B: Details of Costing

Strategic Focus
Area

Table 10 Details for Budget Proposed

Found
ation
al
Supp
ort

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Building
Block:
Policy, Legal
and
Regulatory
Framework

Review the
policy, legal
and
regulatory
framework
to align it
with
internationa
l norms and
practices,
national and
industry
needs

1. Design a policy
framework to
address
requirements in the
priority areas of ICT
industry
development and
promotion,
research and
development and
ICT exports
2. Review and
implement a
comprehensive
Spectrum Policy
and Management
Framework based
on principles of
technology and
service neutrality
and economic
valuation.

To ensure a
conducive
policy, legal
and
regulatory
framework
that is
responsive to
international,
national and
industry
demands

Owner

MoICT

Project

No

ZERO D RAFT

UCC

No

Output(s)

Input(s)

Policy
Framework
including
papers,
guidelines,
and
strategies

Policy
Framework
including
papers,
guidelines,
and
strategies

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.50

0.25

0.23

0.20

0.18

1.36

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.25

0.13

0.11

0.10

0.09

0.68

50

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

3. Review and
implement a
comprehensive
policy and
management
framework for
Infrastructure
Sharing and Rights
of Way and
recommend their
enforcement
modalities
4. Finalise and
ensure the
implementation of
the draft Data
Protection
legislation for
Uganda.

UCC

No

Policy
Framework
including
papers,
guidelines,
and
strategies

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.25

0.13

0.11

0.10

0.09

0.68

NITA-U
& UCC

No

Professional
Fees;
Travel;
Fuel; and
Stationery &
Printing

1.96

2.16

2.37

2.61

2.87

11.97

5. Enact and
enforce Anti-Spam
legislation for
Uganda

UCC

Data
Protection
legislation;
and
Compliance
&
Adjudicatio
n Reports
Data
Protection
legislation;
and
Compliance
&
Adjudicatio
n Reports

Professional
Fees;
Travel;
Fuel; and
Stationery &
Printing

0.52

0.57

0.63

0.69

0.76

3.17

ZERO D RAFT

No

51

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

6. Review, propose
and operationalise
policy provisions
aimed at building
local capacity.

MoICT
& UCC

No

Policy
provisions
including
papers,
guidelines,
and
strategies

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.50

0.25

0.23

0.20

0.18

1.36

7. Review and
implement policy
and attendant
reforms in the
postal sector of
Uganda.

MoICT
& UCC

No

0.25

0.23

0.20

0.18

1.36

MoICT

No

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees
Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.50

8. Develop the
National
Broadband Policy
following a multistakeholder
collaborative
approach

0.50

0.25

0.23

0.20

0.18

1.36

9. Develop and
implement
guidelines to be
followed by all
utility service
providers in respect
of ICT facilities,
Right of Way, and
DigOnce in
collaboration with
the other utility
service providers

MoICT
& UCC

No

Policy
reforms
including
papers,
guidelines,
and
strategies
National
Broadband
Policy
including
papers,
guidelines,
and
strategies
Guidelines

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.25

0.13

0.11

0.10

0.09

0.68

ZERO D RAFT

52

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Building
Block:
Manpower
Developmen
t and
Planning
To develop
and nurture a
competitive
domestic
human
resource base
in adequate
numbers

Strategies

Develop
critical mass
of ICT
skilled
Ugandans
and industry
ready
workforce

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

10. Develop a
Strategy for
increasing access of
ICT devices to
Special Interest
Groups

MoICT

No

Strategy
and
Incentive
Guidelines

1. Establish the
current stock and
quality of ICT
competencies in
the country
(capacity building
needs assessment)
2. Develop and
support the
implementation of
a strategy for ICT
capacity building
and eGovernment

MoICT

No

ICT Human
Resource
survey; and

MoICT
& NITAU

No

3. Implement the
certification and
accreditation for
ICT professionals

NITA-U
&
Respect
ive
Ministri
es

No

ZERO D RAFT

ICT State of
Nation
publication
Strategy for
ICT capacity
building;
Implementa
tion Reports
Database of
Service
Providers
and
Training
Institutions;
and
Compliance
Audits

Input(s)

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees
Professional
Fees;
Travel;
Fuel; and
Stationery &
Printing

0.50

0.35

0.35

0.30

0.20

1.7

0.50

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.5

ICT Capacity
Report;
Workshops;
Travel; and
Professional
Fees

4.00

4.00

4.40

4.84

5.32

22.56

Prequalificati
on of Service
Providers
(Inspectors,
Assessors, IT
testing labs)

0.40

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

1.2

53

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

4. Partner with
Ministry of
Education and
training institutions
to develop as well
as implement ICT
training curriculum
tailored to industry
needs
5. Develop and
implement a
mechanism for joint
planning and ICT
internship between
academia and the
industry
6. Develop and
implement
targeted capacity
building for ICT
teachers

MoICT,
NITA-U,
UCC &
Industry

MoICT,
NITA-U,
& UCC

UCC

7. Facilitate
connectivity of
schools and
institutions for
eLearning

UCC

Project

Output(s)

Input(s)

No

Reviewed
ICT
Curriculum

No

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Consultancies
;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

0.0

0.75

0.78

0.82

0.86

3.21

Mechanism

Workshops;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

0.0

0.25

0.28

0.30

0.33

1.16

No

ICT Teacher
re-tooled

Consultancies
;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

0.0

0.13

0.14

0.15

0.17

0.59

Yes
(RCDF)

School ICT
Labs; and
Broadband
Connectivit
y

Computer
Supplies;
ICT Services;
Professional
Services; and
Telecommuni
cation
(bandwidth)

0.0

0.13

0.13

0.14

0.15

0.55

ZERO D RAFT

54

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Building
Block: ICT
Infrastructur
e

Facilitate
infrastructur
e rollout

1. Monitor the
implementation of
ICT infrastructure in
line with the
National
Broadband
Strategy

MoICT

No

Interoperab
le ICT
Infrastructu
re

2. Implement last
mile connectivity
countrywide in
partnership with
the private sector

NITA-U

Yes
(RCIP)

To develop an
interoperable
and secure
country-wide
ICT
infrastructure

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Ensure
nation-wide
access to
broadband

3. Provide Access
and Usage of ICTs
to priority areas
(agriculture, health,
education, energy,
and justice, etc) and
special interest
groups

NITA-U
& UCC

Yes
(RCIP,
RCDF)

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Allowances;
and
Fuel

0.00

0.30

0.30

0.30

0.30

1.2

Interoperab
le ICT
Infrastructu
re
(Connectivit
y of endusers)

ICT
Equipment
and
Infrastructure
;
Travel inland;
Allowances;
and
Fuel

0.00

5.20

5.20

5.20

5.20

20.8

PIAPs;
ICT Labs;
and
Connectivit
y to Health
Centres,
Schools and
Tertiary
Institutions

ICT
Equipment &
Infrastructure
;
Travel inland;
Fuel;
Allowances;
and
Professional
Fees

0.00

22.50

24.75

27.23

29.95

ZERO D RAFT

Input(s)

104.43

55

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Ensure
accessible,
reliable and
fact
communicat
ion services

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

4. Ensure the
existence of nationwide coverage of
digital broadcasting
signal

UCC

Yes
(DTT)

DTT
Infrastructu
re

ICT
Equipment &
Infrastructure
;
Professional
Services;
Travel inland;
Allowances;
and
Fuel

13.40

14.07

5.50

5.20

5.00

43.17

5. Extend NBI to
cover the NDPII
priority areas and
ensure
interconnectivity
with neighbouring
countries (Including
missing links
connectivity)

NITA-U

Yes
(RCIP)

Interoperab
le ICT
Infrastructu
re
(Interconne
ctivity with
neighbourin
g countries;
and
Alternative
routes to
the
undersea
cable)

ICT
Equipment
and
Infrastructure
;
Travel inland;
Allowances;
and
Fuel

0.00

10.00

8.00

8.00

2.00

28

ZERO D RAFT

56

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

6. Implement a
Strategy for
rationalisation of
ICT initiatives in
Government

MoICT
& NITAU

Project

Output(s)

No

ZERO D RAFT

7. Develop and
implement a
National Master
Plan for postal and
courier services of
Uganda to take
advantage of new
opportunities
offered by ICT
8. Promote
production and use
of low-cost locally
assembled devices
in collaboration
with the private
sector

UCC

No

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Bulk
delivery of
Internet
bandwidth
to MDAs
and LGs;
Consolidati
on of
Software
Licenses;
and
Unified
Messaging
&
Collaboratio
n services
National
Master Plan
for postal
and courier
services

ICT
Equipment;
Professional
Fees;
Bandwidth;
and
Utilities

0.00

5.00

7.50

7.50

9.20

29.2

Consultations
(workshops),
Allowances,
Travel,
Fuel, and
Professional
Fees

0.20

0.50

0.55

0.61

0.67

2.53

Increased
availability
of low cost
locally
devices

Telecommuni
cations;
Computer
Supplies; and
Taxes on
machinery

0.00

0.50

0.35

0.35

0.30

1.5

57

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

9. Develop,
publish and enforce
Standards related
to ICT devices &
equipment for
wider circulation.

NITA-U
& UCC

No

Standards
for ICT
devices;
Compliance
Audits; and
Gazetted
Standards

10. Establish ICT


Incubation Centres
around public
universities and
research
institutions

NITA-U
& UCC

No

ICT
Incubation
Centres

ZERO D RAFT

11. Extend Support


to Other ICT
Incubation
initiatives

NITA-U
& UCC

No

ICT
Incubation
initiatives

12. Establish ICT


Parks

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

ICT Parks

Input(s)

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Workshops;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

0.60

0.66

0.73

0.80

0.88

3.67

Computer
Supplies;
ICT Services;
Machinery
Professional
Fees; and
Telecommuni
cation
(bandwidth)
Computer
Supplies;
ICT Services;
Machinery
Professional
Fees; and
Telecommuni
cation
(bandwidth)
Computer
Supplies;
ICT Services;
Machinery
Professional
Fees; and
Telecommuni
cation
(bandwidth)

0.00

5.00

5.50

6.05

6.66

23.21

0.00

0.83

0.83

0.83

0.83

3.32

0.00

5.13

5.13

2.05

0.82

13.13

58

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Building
Block:
Institutional
Framework

Establish a
multiinstitutional
collaborativ
e
framework
to drive the
ICT agenda

Review and align


the existing
institutional
framework

MoICT

Building
institutional
capacities

MoICT,
NITA-U,
UCC &
any
other
agency

To
strengthen
the ICT
institutional
framework to
drive the
national ICT
agenda

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Input(s)

Yes

Refined
Institutional
Framework

No

Improved
Skillset for
Institutions

ZERO D RAFT

Enabli
ng
Envir
onme
nt

Building
Block:
Information
Security
To develop a
secure,
reliable and
resilient
information
security
system with
national
capacity to
respond to
cyber security
threats

Implement
the National
Information
Security
Strategy

Operationalise a
multi-sectoral
collaborative
framework on
Information
Security e.g.
National
Information
Security Advisory
Group
Build capacity of
key institutions
across the board
(legislature,
judiciary, law
enforcement
agencies etc)

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Professional
Fees;
Workshops;
Training;
Allowances;
and
Fuel
Training;
Allowances;
Machinery &
equipment;
and
ICT
equipment &
services

2.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

5.00

4.25

3.61

3.07

15.93

NITA-U
& UCC

No

Multisectorial
collaboratio
n
framework

Workshops;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

0.45

0.50

0.54

0.60

0.66

2.75

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Empowered
key
institutions

Workshops;
Training;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

1.20

1.32

1.45

1.60

1.76

7.33

59

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Ensure
protection
of
consumers
of ICT
services

Building
Block:
Research &
Innovation

Create an
enabling
environmen
t to support
R&D

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Mount concerted
ICT security
awareness
campaigns

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

ICT security
awareness
campaigns

Develop national
authentication
mechanisms like
PKI

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

National
Authenticat
ion
Mechanims
like PKI

Establish the
national CERT

NITA-U
& UCC

No

National
CERT
ZERO D RAFT

Implement website
regulation and
social media for
government

MoING
& NITAU

No

Establish and
maintain
partnership
agreements with
regional players on
information
security with
partner states
Collaborate with
private sector to
establish centres of
excellence e.g. 5 at
regional level

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

Yes

Social
Media
Guidelines
implemente
d
Partnership
s,
Agreement
s & MoUs

Centres of
Excellence
in place

Input(s)

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Workshops;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Fuel

0.05

0.06

0.06

0.07

0.07

0.31

Professional
Fees;
Allowances;
Travel; and
Taxes on
machinery
Taxes on
machinery;
and
Professional
Fees
Workshops;
and
Allowances

3.64

3.64

3.64

3.64

3.64

18.2

2.50

2.75

3.03

3.33

3.66

15.27

0.15

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.15

Allowances;
Air Tickets;
and
Professional
Fees

0.00

0.97

1.07

1.17

1.29

4.5

Professional
Fees;
ICT
equipment;
and

0.00

25.00

25.00

2.00

2.00

54

60

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Promote
Research and
Development
of ICT and
Relevant ICT
enabled
services

Local
Conte
nt

Building
Block: Local
Content and
Associated

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Telecommuni
cation

Enhance
participatio
n of
academia in
Research
and
Innovation
for ICT
based
solutions to
local and
regional
problems

Enhance
capacity for
local
content

Develop and
implement a
framework for
collaboration with
research/academia
including MoUs,
SLAs, etc to
promote research
and development
Develop and
implement a Multisectorial & multistakeholder
framework

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Incentivize world
class ICT training
and research
institution to set-up
in Uganda

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

World class
ICT training
and
research in
place

Establish an ICT
Research and
Innovation Fund

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Seed Fund

Incentivize the
development,
adoption and use of
Local Content

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Solutions
and
products

ZERO D RAFT

Framework
for
collaboratio
n with
research/ac
ademia

Allowances;
Training
Travel; and
Professional
Fees

0.00

0.60

0.66

0.73

0.80

2.79

Research
solutions
and
platforms

Workshops;
Consultations
;
Allowances;
and
Travel
Incentives
(land,
buildings, and
taxes on
machinery)

0.20

0.18

0.16

0.15

0.13

0.82

5.00

5.00

5.00

5.00

5.00

25

Institutional
Framework;
Manpower;
and
Processes &
Systems
Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

5.00

5.00

5.00

5.00

5.00

25

0.72

0.79

0.87

0.96

1.05

4.39

61

Strategic Focus
Area
eServi
ces

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions
Develop a
framework
for facilitating
the
development
and access to
a wide range
of relevant
content for
the various
communicati
on mediums

developmen
t and usage
in the
various ICT
Sector
services to
integrate
ICTs in
social and
commercial
aspects of
the
Economy
Promote
use of
locally
developed
solutions
and
applications

Building
Block:
eServices
XXX

Increase the
use of
eBusiness
tools
including
ePayments

Interventions

Owner

Project

Develop and
implement a
strategy for
promoting local
content
development and
harmonization

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Develop and
implement
incentive scheme
for SMEs using
locally developed
ICT solutions,
products and
applications
Encourage the use
of ICT tools for
trade, service
delivery and
exchange of
information

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Promote the
development and
use of value-added
services

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Output(s)

ZERO D RAFT

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Strategy for
promoting
local
content
developme
nt and
harmonizati
on; and
Solutions
and
products

Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

0.80

0.88

0.97

1.06

1.17

4.88

Incentive
Scheme in
place

Professional
Fees;
Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

0.72

0.79

0.87

0.96

1.05

4.39

ICT tools,
Service
Delivery
and
Exchange of
Information
in place
Valueadded
services
uptake
increased

Workshops;
Seminars;
Allowances;
and
Travel

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

Workshops;
Allowances;
Travel

0.16

0.18

0.19

0.21

0.23

0.97

62

Strategic Focus
Area
eGov
ernm
ent

Objectives

Building
Block:
eGovernmen
t
Ensure
effective and
efficient
government
services

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

Project

Incentivize the
adoption of ICT in
SMEs

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Enhance
integration
and
automation
of
government
services
(National
ID,
eProcureme
nt, Single
Window for
Governmen
t,
Agriculture,
Tourism,
Education,
Energy,
Health, and
Justice)

Provide technical
support to MDAs in
establishing
electronic
processes and
systems

NITA-U

No

Establish an
electronic
document
management and
workflow system
for government

NITA-U

No

Enhance
developmen
t and uptake
of
eGovernme
nt services

Digital archiving
and Digitalization
of Government
records

NITA-U

No

Output(s)

ZERO D RAFT

Input(s)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Valueadded
services
uptake
increased
National ID,
eProcureme
nt, Single
Window for
Governmen
t,
eAgricultur
e,
eTourism,
eEducation,
eEnergy,
eHealth,
and
eJustice)
Electronic
document
manageme
nt and
workflow
system
(eCabinet
and eOffice)

Workshops;
Allowances;
Travel

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

6.5

Professional
Fees;
Technical
Assistance;
and
ICT
Equipment &
Infrastructure

1.50

1.65

1.82

2.00

2.20

9.17

ICT
Equipment;
Workshops &
Seminars;
Travel; and
Allowances

5.20

5.72

6.29

6.92

7.61

31.74

Electronic
Governmen
t Records

Professional
Fees;
Allowances;
Workshops;
and
Travel

0.00

4.16

4.16

4.16

4.16

16.64

63

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

Strategies

Interventions

Owner

Project

Technical Support
to implementation
of Online Citizen
Participation
platforms

MoICT
& NITAU

No

Implement the eGovernment


interoperability
framework

MoICT
& NITAU

No

Develop and
implement a
change
management
strategy

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Strengthen the
institutional
framework for
implementation of
eGovernment

MoICT
& NITAU

No

ZERO D RAFT

Output(s)

Input(s)

Online
Citizen
Participatio
n
portal;Gove
rnment
Citizen
Interaction
Centre
(GCIC); and
Interactive
Access
Centre (IAC)
Interoperab
ility
Framework;
and
Governmen
t
Architectur
al Blueprint
Change
Manageme
nt Strategy;
and
Awareness
Program
Institutional
Framework;
and
eGovernme
nt
regulations

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

ICT
Equipment &
Infrastructure
;
Workshops;
Training; and
Allowances

1.60

1.76

1.94

2.13

2.34

9.77

Professional
Fees;
Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

1.20

1.32

1.45

1.60

1.76

7.33

Professional
Fees;
Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

1.20

1.20

1.20

1.20

1.20

Professional
Fees;
Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

2.00

2.20

2.42

2.66

2.93

12.21

64

Strategic Focus
Area
ICT as
an
Engin
e of
Growt
h

Objectives

Building
Block: ICT
Industry
Promotion in
Target
Markets

Strategies

Position
Uganda
competitivel
y in the
Global ICT
market

To promote
Uganda as an
ICT Hub

Undertake
collaborativ
e efforts
internationa
lly and
within the
region to
ensure winwin

Interventions

Owner

Project

Output(s)

Support the
development and
deployment of
replicable open
source & mobile
apps for
eGovernment
operations
Develop and
implement a
strategy to
promote Uganda as
an attractive
offshoring centre of
the world

MoICT
& NITAU

No

Replicable
open source
& mobile
apps for
eGovernme
nt

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Strategy
promoting
Uganda

Elicit export
development plans
from the ICT
industry at least on
an annual basis and
dovetail the same
with country
promotion efforts
for Uganda in the
ICT sector
Prioritize
participation in
regional ICT
initiatives and
ensure signed
ratification of
protocols
Undertake
collaborative

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Strategy
promoting
Uganda

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

MoICT,
NITA-U

No

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Professional
Fees;
Workshops;
Allowances;
and
Training

1.97

2.17

2.38

2.62

2.88

12.02

Promotion
items &
materials;
Media;
Professional
Fees; and
Telecommuni
cation
Promotion
items &
materials;
Media;
Professional
Fees; and
Telecommuni
cation

2.12

2.33

2.57

2.82

3.10

12.94

1.15

1.15

1.15

1.15

1.15

5.75

MoUs; and
Partnership
s

Travel
abroad;
Allowances;
Meetings; and
Subscriptions

6.30

6.93

7.62

8.39

9.22

38.46

MoUs; and
Partnership

Travel
abroad;

2.86

0.57

0.57

0.57

0.57

5.14

ZERO D RAFT

Input(s)

65

Strategic Focus
Area

Objectives

To promote
Ugandan ICT
goods and
services
internationall
y

Strategies

Interventions

exploitation
of ICT

exercises with
countries of the
region on a win-win
basis to explore
areas of
competitive
strength and
interests in order to
contribute to allround regional
progress
Undertake market
intelligence to
identify target
markets and
services

& UCC

Empower Uganda
Mission abroad in
promoting
Uganda's ICT
services and
products
Incentivize and
reward companies
that invest in
promoting
Ugandas ICT
abroad

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Capacity
Building

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

No

Capacity
Building

Strengthen
the ICT
industry
association
for
lobbying,
advisory,
facilitation,
research,
representati
on and selfregulation
of the ICT
sector

Owner

MoICT,
NITA-U
& UCC

Project

Output(s)

No

ZERO D RAFT

Total Budget Requirement (Year-wise and Grand Total) in Billion Ugandan Shillings)

Input(s)

Allowances;
Meetings; and
Subscriptions

Market
Intelligence
Report; and
Market
Surveys

Professional
Fees;
Research;
Allowances;
and
Workshops
Meetings;
Professional
Fees;
Allowances;
and
Training
Meetings;
Professional
Fees;
Allowances;
and
Training

Total Cost
(Billion
Shillings)

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

0.65

0.72

0.79

0.87

0.95

3.98

0.00

0.23

0.25

0.28

0.31

1.07

0.00

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

5.2

76.67

167.19

165.04

145.53

147.42

701.85

66

6.3

Appendix C: Implementation Risks and their Mitigation


Measures

Table 11 presents each of these risks and analyses possible mitigation measures for each of
them.
Table 11 Implementation Risks and Mitigation Measures

Risk

Impact, if risks materialize

Lack of
Consistent and
Continued
political and
executive
support

Implementation will suffer, on


Mitigation measures considered during
account of the following reasons: the formulation of the plan include,
inter alia, the following:
If political leadership is not
matched by executive
The process of assessment and
commitment, the
analysis has involved and taken
implementation will languish
into consideration views from all
as actual achievements will
stakeholders who participated in
fall short of requirements of
the planning process, thus ensuring
strategic directions; and
that not only are their views taken
on board but also that they have a
On the other hand, if
role and hence sense of ownership
excellence in execution is not
for the plan itself; and
supported by political
leaderships support, many
Further initiatives during the plan
activities may get delayed
implementation must keep these
beyond the executives
considerations paramount to
control, thus cutting into their
minimise impact of this risk.
envisaged benefits.

Non-availability
of funds

Inadequate availability of funds


would have the following
impact:

Being not in a position to


implement everything, the
decision markets would then
choose between different
projects and programmes.
The holistic focus of the plan
would then be impaired;
Stakeholders who are not
involved would lose interest;

Mitigation Measure(s)

The formulation of strategies and


programmes has taken up mitigation
measures to address this risk in the
following ways:

Making programmes as loosely


coupled as possible ensures that
partial implementation risks are
minimized;

Sequencing within a programme


among the projects ensures that
the ones accorded highest priority
are taken up on board first to

67

Risk

Impact, if risks materialize

Expecting
results too soon

Delay in
implementation

There is a chance of
interdependencies not being
considered completely while
picking and choosing from
among projects and
programmes; and
Many activities where a
comprehensive planning is
required either done
internally or through external
consultancies, would head
immaturely into the
implementation without the
support of the planning.

Mitigation Measure(s)
deliver quick results;

This action plan itself takes into


account pre-requisites for the
implementation of the projects;

It is also recommended that


wherever a planning exercise is
recommended to be taken up, it is
actually done so. The pruning of
the costs could be done through
undertaking a comprehensive
internal planning exercise in lieu of
external consultants; and

During the implementation of the


plan, the above need to be borne in
mind.

The implementation may turn

out to be unplanned and ad-hoc.


Delivery in all programmes may
not be properly tested and hence
may be susceptible to errors,

thus eroding the stakeholders


interest in the initiatives

Delay in the implementation


would result in stakeholders
losing interest. Also, an
inordinate delay may also result
in key stakeholders not being

As far as possible the


implementation plan
recommended as part of this
report must be followed;
Any course corrections or changes
to the same must be deliberated
well among the stakeholders
before coming to a solution;

Standard timeframes assumed as


part of the implementation are
comfortable; and

Interdependencies ensure that for


any activity to be taken up, the
pre-requisites are taken on board
first.

This issue has been addressed through


the following means:

The action plan gives sufficient


time for such activities as the

68

Risk

Impact, if risks materialize

Mitigation Measure(s)

available at all, for example


owing to transfers and the like.

Going by the
book

Inadequate
collaboration
between

formation of institutional
structures that would look into the
plan implementation;

Where recommendations are


made for effecting significant
changes in the institutional
arrangements, interim measures
have been recommended which
would make for a smooth
transition; and

All stakeholders are involved right


from the early stages so that their
continued involvement is ensured.

Whereas the issues to be

addressed may remain largely


the same, strategies and
measures required to address
them may well change with
time keeping in mind emerging
realities. Impact of going by the
book may be undertaking
interventions that are not in
sync with emerging realities and
thus would make for

underachievement of the
results. Synergies across
programmes and projects would
also suffer.

It is recommended, therefore that


every exercise be preceded by a
planning with a wide stakeholder
participation so as to bring on
board emerging issues;

The State of the ICT Report will


become a compendium of
activities in the sector and
continue to inform stakeholders of
the latest developments.

Collaborative requirements of the


plan have been kept in mind by
involving stakeholders across

The implementation would


suffer since if there is
inadequate participation

Such cross-stakeholder meetings


are envisaged at three tiers, the
project, the programme and finally
the steering committee level;
To get abreast with emerging
requirements, an exclusive
research unit has been
recommended that has been
tasked with research and analysis
activities; and

69

Risk

Impact, if risks materialize

stakeholders

from the stakeholders;

Advisory and functional


inputs from across different
areas of involvement would
not come in timely;

The execution support and


facilitation from the different
groups would languish too;
and

Change at the
helm of affairs

Irregular
monitoring

Mitigation Measure(s)
different areas of activity by giving
ownership initiatives to
stakeholders for many
programmes and projects and
leaving it completely to them as to
how they would like to execute the
institutional and collaborative
aspects of the implementation;
and

Implementation would get


delayed thus delaying all
activities which have this
delayed activity as a prerequisite.

This would make for high buy-in,


involvement and ownership from
the stakeholders.

Replacements may not associate


themselves as closely as did their
predecessors. Also, it would take
some time for them to learn the
nuances emerging from the
planning exercise. It is likely that

the implementation would get


delayed thus affecting a whole
list of interventions.

At the executive level at the top a


group rather than individuals have
been associated in discussions; it is
unlikely that all of them would be
deployed elsewhere; and

The project or the


programme execution wing
would be bereft of any timely
advisory inputs for their
efforts;

Mitigation measures include the


recommendation of a Secretariat
to be constituted which would be
tasked exclusively with monitoring
the implementation of the
programmes on a timely basis; and

Stakeholder interests may


also wane as a result; and

At the programme level, too,


monitoring frequency have been
recommended, based on
indicators and milestones.

A ready stock take of the


status of the implementation
will likely elude the top level
planners.

Political leadership and direction


though has been assumed and is
critical for a smooth
implementation of the plan.

70

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