The newly appointed Minister of Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, has praised Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for entrusting her with the strategic docket, pledging to strengthen national guidance and reposition media platforms to better serve the public.
Speaking during the official handover ceremony at the ministry of ICT , Kasule Lumumba expressed gratitude to the President for the confidence placed in her leadership.
“I thank President Yoweri Museveni for entrusting me with this responsibility as Minister of ICT and National Guidance,” she said, committing to advancing the ministry’s mandate in line with government priorities.
She emphasized the need to create structured platforms that can educate and inform Ugandans about the roles of various government institutions and organizations, noting that access to accurate information is critical for national development.
“We have to create a platform that will educate and teach Ugandans about different institutions and how they operate,” she said.
Kasule Lumumba, however, raised concern over what she described as the growing misuse of media platforms, particularly radio stations, which she said are increasingly dominated by political discourse at the expense of public education and guidance.
“On the issue of national guidance, there is concern that media platforms are increasingly being misused. Radio stations, in many cases, focus more on politics than on educating and guiding the public with useful information,” she noted.
She further highlighted a worrying social trend in which traditional parenting roles are being eroded, with electronic media taking center stage in shaping values within households.
“Parenting standards have declined. Television has, in many homes, taken over the role of parents, while radios have become the dominant voice in our sitting rooms,” she said.
Drawing from her experience in Busoga sub-region, Kasule Lumumba pointed out that excessive politicization of radio programming has overshadowed other critical conversations that directly impact livelihoods and community development.
“I come from Busoga, one of the regions where politics often takes priority over many other activities, largely through radio discussions.
The question is: how do we encourage media platforms to tone this down and instead focus on what is most important to the people?” she posed.
She also challenged the ministry and its stakeholders to reposition the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) as a leading and trusted national broadcaster capable of attracting wide listenership.
“How do we make our UBC a station that people listen to with the same attention they give to other broadcasters? We are the government, and we are the ones who provide space for these platforms to operate. So how do we position UBC as the central and most trusted source?” she asked.
Kasule Lumumba underscored the importance of unity and teamwork in achieving the ministry’s objectives, calling on her predecessor, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, and the entire leadership to continue working together.
“Doctor Chris, you have to work with us. Whether you like it or not, we must work together. We are all striving to score in the same goal,” she remarked.
She further anchored her remarks on the principles of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), particularly emphasizing patriotism as a guiding value for public servants.
“Patriotism means loving yourself, but also loving other people, because you cannot exist without them,” she said.
The minister also called for a culture of continuous self-assessment among leaders and public servants, urging them to evaluate the impact of their work and seek solutions where gaps exist.
“As you do your work, continuously evaluate yourself. Are your efforts creating positive results or not? If not, find out why, and look for people who can help you identify solutions and improve,” she advised.
Kasule Lumumba’s remarks signal a renewed focus on strengthening national guidance, improving media accountability, and enhancing the role of public broadcasting as Uganda advances its communication and digital transformation agenda.