John Matovu Aminah Zawedde Das Pamela and Herbert Ruhunde.pdf

54 Strengthening the Role of ICT in Development Volume VIII
the traditions and heritage of ethnic and marginalized groups and help to keep
their language, indigenous knowledge and way of life and livelihood alive and
active.
The key factors responsible for the different ICT take-up rates in Africa are:
per capita income, language, levels of education (illiteracy), internal digital divide
within the African continent, restrictive regulatory framework, poverty and
the lack of infrastructure and the rural concentration and dispersed nature of a
country’s population. In general, the lower a country’s per capita income, the
less likely its population is to have access to both old and new information and
communication technologies [Baryamureeba, 2007].
Key factors for using ICT in the media
Today ICTs are seen as a basic tool for survival as they enhance effi ciency in the
workplace. ICTs have the ability to increase the ease and speed of communication
as well as overcoming the problem of transportation of messages over long
distances. ICTs also help journalists reach out to colleagues in other parts of the
world and keep them up to date with developments on the world scene.
In Uganda, a national ICT policy framework was set up in 2002 to ensure
the optimum utilization of information to foster social economic development.
The policy focuses on three areas: Information as a resource for development,
mechanisms for accessing information and ICT as an industry. The policy
recognizes that the three areas are not mutually exclusive.
While several policies and legislations like “Uganda Access to Information Act
(2005)”, “Telecommunications Sector Policy (1996)” and “The Communications
Bill (2007)” have been put in place, gaps exist when one looks at access to
information broadly. For example, the Rural Communications Development
Fund (RCDF) is not funding broadband access and it has largely offered subsides
for the establishment of services at district headquarters which are mostly urban
or semi-urban ignoring the needs of the rural and underserved population who are
its primary constituency, according to Mugira [2007].
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ministry was formed
in 2006; however, even with an entire ministry in place, there is lot more to be
done in enabling access, use and application of ICTs to the majority of Ugandans.
According to a 2011 World Bank report, Internet users in Uganda were reported
at 4,178,085 in 2010; 3,165,582 in 2009; and 2,475,812 in 2008.
Though progress is slow, there are sectors where ICTs have registered
tremendous impact in the way things are being done and one of these is the
journalism profession. To their credit, some Ugandan media houses have
established a strong online presence. Radio stations, television stations and the
print media have all registered a presence in cyberspace. These media houses have
continued to be veritable sources of news and information to Ugandans at home
and abroad. It can be said therefore that the Ugandan media are measuring up
with their counterparts in other parts of the world by their maintaining strategic
presence on the information super highway.