Edith Sylvia Namayanja

Today, we at @UCC_Official, under #UCUSAF, were honoured to convene a landmark Stakeholder Dialogue on Strengthening Uganda’s Digital Skills Ecosystem, in partnership with the British Council @BritishCouncil, the British High Commission, and UK International Development. As we celebrate 25 years of extending communications to underserved communities, our focus is evolving. While infrastructure remains crucial, Uganda’s primary bottleneck today is the usage gap. We have vast network capacity across the nation, but we must ensure every Ugandan has the skills and confidence to use it productively. Through deliberate digital skilling interventions, #UCUSAF has directly impacted thousands of lives across Uganda. Targeted digital skills training has empowered over 13,000 women, and grassroots digital skilling initiatives have reached over 11,000 rural community members, including farmers, older persons, and persons with disabilities. Again, we have equipped over 6,000 young people with ICT and multimedia skills for the modern economy, and trained 5,000+ micro, small, and medium enterprises across 20 districts to use digital tools to manage records, expand market reach, and access digital financial services. ICT skilling for teachers and the establishment of ICT clubs in schools have also fostered a culture of innovation and learning. Moving beyond basic digital literacy (navigating apps and search engines), our goal is to build digital skills for employability and enterprise development. Connective infrastructure fulfils its promise only when teachers can deliver richer lessons, farmers can access market prices, and young people secure job opportunities. No single institution can bridge this gap alone. By pooling our strengths across government, telecom operators, tech companies, and civil society, we can make digital literacy more inclusive, practical, and sustainable for all Ugandans. We were particularly privileged to be joined by Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo @Hon_Ssebugwawo, Minister of State for ICT, and by partners from NITA-Uganda @NITAUganda1, academia, the private sector, civil society, and our regulatory peers from Kenya. Thank you to all stakeholders for joining us in building a digitally empowered Uganda.

This afternoon, I met His Worship Henry Kagali, the Mayor of Kiboga Town Council, for a productive discussion on community development programmes and initiatives. We explored ways to drive local transformation, particularly by expanding digital connectivity and strengthening ICT programmes that benefit Kiboga residents, especially youth. I applauded him for pushing government programmes to benefit his people, which is uncommon, especially among opposition leaders. We also shared wonderful moments discussing youth empowerment and grassroots collaboration to ensure that technological advances and government services reach every corner of the community. We remain fully committed to leveraging technology to foster sustainable socio-economic growth across the country.

This morning, alongside the @UCC_Official Top Management Team, I chaired a comprehensive and productive meeting with several Hotspot/Wi-Fi operators. This engagement follows our previous discussions on enforcement actions against unauthorised internet operators and related regulatory compliance. During our interactions, several critical issues have been raised, and letters and complaints have been received that required a deeper, more objective regulatory review. True to our ethos of professional honesty and fair regulation, the Commission has taken time to thoroughly examine these concerns. We recognise that effective regulation must balance the public interest, which safeguards the foundational welfare of all citizens, with industry growth. Unchecked operations that bypass established public frameworks ultimately undermine the collective interest and harm the wider sector. Referring to the tragedy of the commons, it states, “If individuals act freely to pursue their self-interests, they end up destroying the shared resources, ultimately diminishing their own long-term interests too.” For example, overgrazing prevents the soil from regenerating, leading to a situation where there is nothing left to feed the cows. We remain committed to maintaining an environment in which the public interest is protected, ensuring that infrastructure development, public safety, and national revenue streams that support essential public services are preserved. We appreciate the constructive dialogue and insights shared by Wi-Fi operators today. Moving forward, we will continue to engage collaboratively with all stakeholders to address these challenges, refine our regulatory frameworks, and foster a sustainable, compliant, and thriving digital environment for all. We will issue a public notice on the matter before the end of this week.

Yesterday, I was honoured to join the Minister for ICT & National Guidance, Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, distinguished leaders and well-wishers at Drajin Hill Seed Secondary School in Aringa South, Yumbe District, where we gathered to celebrate the thanksgiving ceremony for the Minister of State for ICT & National Guidance, Hon. Alioni Yorke Odria. “Behold how good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity." (Psalms 133:1) Moments like these highlight the strong, collaborative spirit that drives our sector forward. On behalf of @UCC_Official, I congratulate Hon. Alioni Yorke Odria and reaffirm our continued commitment to working closely with our ministry leadership to serve the nation and advance digital transformation across Uganda.

We have done it again! The Uganda Communications Commission has been named Outstanding Regulatory Body of the Year at the KACITA Quality Awards 2026. To KACITA and the entire trade fraternity, thank you for believing in us! This victory belongs not just to us; it belongs to every trader, entrepreneur, and institution we serve, and to the resilient private sector driving Uganda forward. We pledge to keep raising the bar, connecting, protecting and empowering Uganda! Happy 64th Independence Day, Uganda #HappyIndependenceDay #KACITAQualityAwards2026 #ConnectedUg2030

Our motherland, Uganda, has reached a milestone that reflects national maturity, a period characterised by mature institutions, a mature citizenry, and a collective commitment to excellence across all sectors. Through strategic frameworks such as the NDP IV, our overarching national goal is clear: to grow our economy 10-fold by 2040. Achieving this ambitious standard requires every Ugandan, regardless of age or sector, to increase their contribution. For a farmer, if you have been producing 10 bags of maize, now is the time to innovate and aim for 100. Growth of this scale cannot happen overnight, but it must be our shared objective. Whatever we build or deliver, we must seek to multiply our efforts and impact 10-fold. A nation’s strategic vision becomes reality only through the dedication of its people. As John F. Kennedy famously noted, we must reflect not only on what our country can do for us, but also on what we can do for our country. My heartfelt congratulations to all Ugandans on reaching this important day in our history. We remain grateful to our national leadership for their strategic guidance and vision for our country’s future. Let us celebrate this independence with a renewed commitment to productivity, innovation, and to national progress. #HappyIndependenceDay

Yesterday, I joined the Permanent Secretary @MoICT_Ug, Dr Aminah Zawedde, who represented Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, UCC Board Chair Dr Charity Basaza Mulenga, at Kololo S.S. for the Official Launch of the Child Online Protection Campaign, run by our Economic Regulation, Content and Consumers Affairs Department, headed by Mrs Julian Muheirwe. Today’s young generation is born with a digital footprint. Before our children master everyday offline skills, they already know how to use tablets and access data. While the internet offers unprecedented opportunities for education, creativity, and connection, it also exposes our children to dangers such as cyberbullying, pornography, online harassment, and emerging risks associated with AI and new technologies. Our goal at @UCC_Official is not to keep our children off the internet, which is neither realistic nor productive. Our mission is to make online platforms safer so our children can learn, connect, and innovate without fear. Through our Child Online Protection Regulatory Framework 2026, @UCC_Official is committed to turning policy into tangible safeguards. However, regulatory action alone is not enough. Safety is a shared responsibility across our entire ecosystem, including law enforcement, telecom operators, schools, civil society, parents, and the young digital citizens themselves. To our students: Think before you post. Do not participate in bullying or harassment, and never suffer in silence. Always report to a trusted adult. Let us all reclaim our collective responsibility to protect and nurture our children, raising them as responsible, safe digital citizens.

Last evening, I accompanied the State Minister for ICT, Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, as she delivered H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's condolences to the family of the late Moses Matovu. During our visit, we reiterated H.E. the President's commitment to honouring the late Matovu’s profound legacy. First of all, plans to officially commemorate his immense contribution to Uganda's creative industry and to construct a family residence on his land in Mukono, an initiative coordinated through @UCC_Official. Secondly, full government sponsorship for his daughter, currently a fourth-year medical student at IUIU, covering her remaining tuition and medical internship costs. May the soul of the legendary Moses Matovu (Papa Moi) rest in eternal peace.

This afternoon, I met with the leadership of the Uganda Vice Chancellors’ Forum, led by their Executive Director, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo, to discuss how we can deepen strategic collaboration between @UCC_Official and our higher education institutions. As technology rapidly evolves, ICT can no longer be viewed through a single lens; the convergence of multidisciplinary knowledge is essential. As a strategic voice in shaping national policy, our conversation was mainly focused on 3 major areas. 1. PhD Sponsorships: We are aligning targeted PhD sponsorship programmes directly with our national technology roadmap and urgent regulatory research needs. 2. Knowledge Cross-Pollination: We are bringing UCC technical experts into university classrooms to bridge theory and policy, while engaging academia in policy research. 3. Streamlined Engagement: Establishing the Vice Chancellors’ Forum as our primary channel for nationwide academic initiatives. When an organisation stops learning, it ceases to be relevant. We are excited to unlock academia's potential to build a smarter, more inclusive digital Uganda.