The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance launched Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap with five clear pillars: digital infrastructure, digital services, cybersecurity, digital skills, and innovation. Reflecting on this policy document today, my mind travels backward to a journey of tough challenges, continuous learning, and how we had to adapt every step of the way.
I did not use a computer until 2008 while at Kigezi High School. At the time, all computers in the lab were running Microsoft Windows XP. This was the case with many or perhaps all internet cafes around town. A friend showed me how to create an email using Yahoo! Mail. I used that email to create a Facebook profile that lasted 13 years. That was until 2021, when a wave of accounts was deleted by Facebook for alleged "Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior."
For many of us who used our platforms to speak out on government achievements during a tense election season, it felt like we were deliberately targeted and reported by political opponents to silence us.
Looking back, the magnitude of change is hard to believe. In 2008, smart phones did not exist in our world. You wouldn’t imagine that one would slide a finger on a glass to access several functions, or tap a button to call a group of friends all on video and speaking at the same time!
In fact, it was almost impossible that you would call someone outside the country. Direct calls were quite expensive and complicated, while skype was very challenging because it required a stable internet connection which was hard to find.
For those who dated around this time, MTN Zone was the thing. They offered discounted call rates up to 99% in late hours of the night. It was perhaps a marketing pressure that Warid had exerted, with wild offers when they came to Uganda!
During my S6 vacation in 2010, Mom bought for me a flip phone – the upper part with a screen, and the lower with buttons. It was an advanced feature phone that had a camera, FM radio and internet access. Such phones were trendy, and MTN had just introduced Facebook Zero which allowed users to access a text-only version of Facebook without data charges.
The Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering at Makerere University gave me deep exposure to computers. Around this time, most people, especially those with laptops had transitioned to Windows Vista and Windows 7 while XP remained widely used on Desktops. Access to the computer lab too, was so limited. With such a demanding course, I convinced mom to buy me a laptop, and I became the king in our discussion group. Then I became a computer addict. In some nights, you would find me under a tree at 2am either updating my OS, writing code or checking GitHub to troubleshoot my code. Under a tree because internet hotspots were scattered, and we had mastered points that had stronger connections.
Then came smart phones and affordable internet that sparked the volatility of social media. Technology advanced at a terrific speed, characterised with breaking news, citizen journalism and activism.
In my third year at University (2013), when we were told to find places for internship placement, I found it strange that with the computer skills I had acquired, it seemed almost impossible to get placement – where I would offer my services free of charge. This opened my eyes. I knew it would be extremely hard to find a job unless I created one myself.
My laptop and free university internet were just enough to learn graphic design, a passion that stemmed way back in A’level Fine Art Classes. Paper 5 (Craft A Graphics) exposed me to a practical graphic design, developing skills like typography, layout, and visual communication using hands and paper – no computers involved. With a laptop, I managed to put my creativity at work, and today, this remains a living testimony. By 2014, I had started earning from designing websites, graphics and editing videos.
While moving from office to office in late 2014, collecting signatures to clear my exit out of Makerere, I met Katabazi, an OB from Kigezi High School. He had heard that I knew how to design graphics and wanted calendars for a colleague who had political interest in the 2016 general elections. I took on the project and the client appreciated. This was my first major payoff for the computer skills I had gained. My job was to design, print and deliver 1,000 calendars which I did with perfection. For this, I earned a job at his NGO upon graduation.
By 2015 when I graduated, it was a necessity to have internet, be on social media and definitely own a smart phone. Social media activism was on the rise, and unfortunately, misinformation loomed. Today, digital technology is limitless! AI is conquering at a terrific speed, while tech companies earn the biggest.
With the visionary leadership of President Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is headed in the right direction. Speaking at the 2nd National ICT Job Fair, the president cautioned young creators against using social media merely to market foreign goods. He asked: "Whose products are you advertising? Are you trying to convert Ugandans into importers? If you are promoting importation, then you are sucking blood from us and taking it outside."
This is exactly why the Ministry of ICT’s Digital Transformation Roadmap is so critical. The bottlenecks my generation faced – struggling to access internet, or to find entry-level placements, are exactly what the government is trying to solve. By pushing for full digitisation of services and empowering young professionals at the National ICT Innovation Hub, the government is building a bridge for the next generation.
We are already seeing the benefits. Today, you can register a business online in less than an hour or renew a driving permit in 30 minutes. Middlemen and corrupt officials will soon be completely cut out of public procurement with the upgrade of eGP.
The foundation has been laid. If we continue to intentionally protect and fund local innovations, Uganda's digital economy will inevitably explode. When a country empowers the brains of its young people, national development moves from a policy dream to a reality.
By Robert Sharp Mugabe, Assistant Director, Government Citizen Interaction Centre – State House