In line with the Government of Uganda’s commitment to digital transformation, the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance convened a strategic engagement with IT Officers, which drew more than 200 IT Officers from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on May 14, 2025, at the Nakawa Innovation Hub. This meeting was part of a series of consultative engagements aimed at strengthening collaboration, promoting knowledge-sharing, and ensuring alignment of ICT initiatives across government institutions.
The engagement was anchored in the broader objectives of the Digital Transformation Roadmap launched in August 2023, which emphasizes the development and standardization of e-services, systems, and applications across all sectors of government. Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, emphasized the importance of synergy between the Ministry and technical officers implementing digital initiatives on the ground. She remarked, “The role of IT Officers in the implementation of the Digital Transformation Roadmap is vital. You are the drivers of this agenda at the institutional level, and your insights, challenges, and feedback are essential in shaping practical, scalable digital interventions.”
The day’s agenda focused on aligning institutional ICT strategies with national priorities, reviewing progress on existing digital platforms, and addressing challenges facing IT Officers in the public service. The discussions also covered critical human resource matters, including new schemes of service for the IT cadre, and the need to strengthen technical capacity, coordination mechanisms, and policy frameworks. A key highlight was the initiation of efforts to document a detailed inventory of existing e-services across MDAs, a move aimed at streamlining planning, resource allocation, and monitoring of national digital transformation efforts.
The Under Secretary of the Ministry, Ms. Sophia Nantongo, called on IT Officers to foster a culture of proactive collaboration and accountability, stating, “We must all work towards building a coherent digital government. This requires mutual respect, teamwork, and a shared vision for service excellence through ICT.”
The engagement underscored the Ministry’s role in providing strategic direction and technical support to MDAs while also recognizing the critical contributions of IT Officers in the successful implementation of digital initiatives. It marked a significant step toward building a digitally enabled public service that is efficient, transparent, and responsive to citizens' needs.
The author is a Communications Officer at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance.
