Mwezi a temye engalo e'wakiso

While an IT Manager googled what the role of an IT manager is, another wondered what the role of an ICT department was. Manager my hoof, Uganda has been mbabazi muhwezi temangalo e wakiso odit mukula as blogging seemed endangered.

Breaking bragging is that a Ugandan journalist has been honored. No need to miss guess! The independent.co.ug breaks it that it was Andrew Mwenda!
However a clear message could be that journalism is endangered in among countries Uganda, Afghanistan, Cuba, Iraq, and Zimbabwe.

Yours truelly attended Barcampala at Makerere Faculty of Computing and Information technology, hoped to meet IDRC's Kathleen Diga but did not eventually. The next day had a chat over lunch at the Makerere University Guest House with University of Manchester IDPM's Andy Bardeli Danieli and Dr. Duncombe Richard before melting into the Sudan the following day, and later landcruiser hardtopping over 300 Miles along the Juba-Mundri-Maridi road in a world where electricity is non existent, no internet but plenty of rains 10/12.

The excercise of blogging seemed to have a correlation ceteris paribus with a state of the affairs in the mind, emotion, and id, work schedule and kind of work done! Some things should cause a worry! Others being so personal, allow a mention of the public ones: Zimbabwe Africa's Mugabe-Tsangari's governmenting, Uganda's tribalistically riddled cheap politicking, and Sudan ICC's approaching October not to mention managers who have no clue about ICTs and its role.

The message is that normal programming resumes! While you should be experiencing Ramathan, the University of Manchester should be calling. The trade is once again ICTs.

ICT and development gates

Phew. Been evaluating tenders for an information system and did not know whether to cry or laugh, breakdown or loose the head, keep quiet or scream. It is good, but it is goof. The system promises lot only that they are merely promises. The reality could also be different.

Many developing world's information systems are funded by international donors or are they loans. Read an insightful evaluation here. Do it. Spend the money. It must be spent. You will pay the loan later. But it is good. But look, you have the money (albeit borrowed). Do it and it is yorkish, a shackle. Don't do it, and it is beyond you. So a system is copied and pasted. Copied from the first worlds and pasted in Uganda, Southern Sudan and Africa because, because it is good. World class.

Welcome June. When yours truly was lost in transliteration, what does my TechRepublic assistant tell me: Salam Taki, one of your unknowing mentors has post. It is an international conference. Doha Qatar. The famed Bill Gates is confirmed guest speaker. Call for papers. Could you respond to a call for a paper and write something which could spell the pungency in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)? Richard Heeks, PhD my mentor and ICT champion at ICTD 2009.

ICTD 2009 IEEE/ACM International Conference of Information and Communication Technologies and Development April 17 - 19, 2009 Carnegie Mellon University, Qatar Campus Education City, Doha, Qatar

Well. ICT and development. Finally the role of ICT shall be put to a scrutiny. I will scream, write, and at worst be in Doha in spirit, question gates, solutions heeks and kith, and attention governments, civil societies, and private sector. It is a wispher of a life time. The bank. The consultants. The corrupt. The rebranding as I stabbed a sky. Hoooooraaaaay

The song ICT4D is abstract and obstructive

Real demand for ICT should not depend on massive advertisement on the part of telecommunication companies but more from investments in education and capacity building as more people may begin utilising ICTs, and ICT Ministries. And oh yes, may also think about the need for national ICT policies, and strategies, define the roles of the public, and private sectors, and civil societies in regards the revolution ICT is causing. Only then can ICT become nutritious for holistic development in Uganda, South Sudan, and Africa. A phrase has been edited to suit Salam Taki.

The title of the blog article was inspired by an article published in the The Monitor website and authored by one Mr. Aramanzan Madanda. Read his article published on the 16th May 2008 entitled ICT hype is a joke. A phrase in that article was the subject for the fore mentioned edit. The motivation for writing this article comes after reading a counter argument article in the same media by a one student of Msc. Information Technology for Management, Conventry University, a Mr. Ivan Kahangire's article. And there was this urge to weigh claims with a Salam Taki article alleging ICT for development is hocus pocus. Treachery of the highest order ...' published published Monday, March 31, 2008 under a title Rocking the Boat.

Mr. Aramanzan Madanda has read widely and knew his trade. Had the chance to listen to him and will say, was he just being at times in the same lambda with Salam Taki? ICT4D song is really pathetic. Like a wild beast tearing through a forest, here and there left up right down. It is like singing a song one doesn't understand but should love all the same and all the time and yet sings it so loudly. It is ICT. While the soon-to-be permanently head damaged PHD holder was discussing competition among telecommunication companies in Uganda and was irked as to why these corporations were obsessed with identifying with star musicians, he soon fell into singing the auld usually sung loud song dna banjuka tu ict njakunoba i4ict song. It is also broken here that ICT4D was crap.

ICT on their own are merely gadgets, an industry and less worth to bring about solutions and the development being sought. Thus the mantra, a hocus pocus, ICT4D is deemed crap. However, when ICT is systematically integrated with sciences, people, and domains like health, education, medicine, etc, ICTs will be seen to cause much cherished holistic developments and solutions and at that point we should no longer hype ICTs are causing the development but a system causing development. Such should be the light in which ICTs contribute to development.

ICT hype is a joke didn't go well with Ivan and so our Msc. IT for Management fellow was drawn in and he drew the dagger: ICT is a key tool for development. Lets understand it this way: Like dancing to a tune so compelling that one just has to go a dance school just to learn how to dance it best. One books a break off to display what one has learnt so far if anywhere but on the big platform open to a critiquing. Salam Taki don't head that way. We shan't. So lets instead welcome and salute the learning process. Ivan, Kije, ay, horro, ay, agandi, ndimarungi. Welcome bro. Lets critique.

Ivan, ICT4D is a ride. We are yet to come to terms with its nitty gritties. Salam Taki hopes that ICT4D shall eventually become ICT in development. It is like Space conceiving beautiful kittens we may label informatics or e -*, where, "*" could be domains such as commerce, health, banking, citizenship, education, governance, journalism, name it but all components in a development. Oh shall we?

Note
Space is the name of a cat of a blogger, the 24th Comrade . Space recently gave birth to three beautiful kittens. The phrase Space was therefore used figuratively to illustrate the relationship as in the cat giving forth kittens. ICT, for instance (and health) brings about e-health or health Informatics.

Henry Owera is a blogger whose blogging exercises are Information Society, ICT, informatics, mass media, new media, social media, information economy, e-citizenship, e-governance, policies, and strategies. He blogs on Uganda, Southern Sudan and Africa.
Blogging at URL http://www.owerahbits.blogspot.com/
Email: owerah@gmail.com Skype: owerah14

Salam Taki Twittered

First: Twitter is amazing. It calculated yours trueness' popularity index! Uploading. It may take longer if you are popular. Cool. Me thinks Twitter is cool but will hesitate recommending it just as yet. Will experience it before recommending it. Soon!

Salam Taki has been twittered. Hopes that word is in the dictionary. If google is why not twittered the dictionary? Well with Salam Twittered, get a glimpse of what is happening in the course of the day and oh owerahbits. Kid sis is chatting me up, Mzee girl is online and still asking about twitter. She doesn't know how to get it ... permit Salam Taki twitter that ... hold ... twittering, twittering ... twittering finished. Salam Taki has twittered that! Thank you for the patience, its has been twittered ...

Well, I see twitter technology would be terrific for a news website not the current newspaper websites Uganda has in URLs newvison.co.ug and monitor.co.ug. Twitter makes updating possible as it nearly happens. Imaging incorporating twittering with video - something akin to live television, you would wish to crash you TV set. A live show of your choosing. And ah! with broadband connection.

Oh yes, Salam Taki is twittered at URL http://twitter.com/owerahbits

Rocking the boat

I think ICT for Development is hocus pocus. Treachery of the highest order. Period. ICT in development seems better. The ICT industry is the most lucrative man made industry on planet earth. Has an African country or African private sector created one? Why haven't we?

Hi Malaysia and Singapore, how did you accomplish it? You embedded it I quess. This business of spending hoplessly on information systems whose failures are so obvious is a waste of African opportunities to have ICT in development.

Information Systems designed in New York, partially financed by the bank, and implemented in one of Africa's rural areas for reasons because but not local, is nothing but pathetic. Oh yes, the Consultant who came from abroad, show me your systems analysis report. Are there ICT projects that was ever cancelled midway in Africa and the foreign consultant took credit.

I think I hate presidential elections in Africa. What Africa needs is leadershipand just not a popular fellow to preside over a system so rotten as most African states are. Something is wrong with African democratisation processes.

Look at Zimbabwe. Some body not will soon be the president but certainly not a leader for that hopeless economy. This business of creating H.Es i.e. Horrible Excellencies who presdie over Africa's demise should stop. Hi Mwai. Hi. I have no tribe, I am Sudanese! I like that blogger! A Sudanese.

I long for that day the phrase I have no tribe will be a mantra in Africa and similar place with tribes. No tribes please. Tribalism in Africa is divisive and so are the religions. I have no religion, I belong to God. Ruhanga in Rukiga, Obanga in Luo, Rabuna in Southern Sudan, Allah in Arabic, Jah for the Ras, ... whatever name you call that suprema, I hate religion and love God.

Those who like me are like me, and I like them pun that. We are similar and true we eventaully become friendly to each other. And those who love me? I love you too. I have no tribe. I have no religion. I am from Africa. Am I in denial? Information systems should be local in its demand, and design. Africa with African solutions.

The ICT department in their own world: Why Information systems will fail!

ICT / IT Departments are simply the new players in many institutions in Africa, Uganda, Southern Sudan and world over. This department is being introduced into some institutions with inadequate knowledge as to what ICTs ought to be doing and without knowledge that along came a new management challenge, task and a culture. Many times the expensive and modern ICTs and the internet have only been introduced for reading e-mails, browsing the internet and to replace the donkey old type writer and the other aspects of integrating ICT into management and the management of the new resource is neglected by top management. ICTs are hardly integrated into other every day businesses activities and neither is it manned effectively. Will we ever realise the potential of Informatics in Africa, Uganda, Southern Sudan and in the south?

Has nobody noticed that the juicy ICT / IT department seem to live in their own world in relationship to other organisational departments? I have! I say "I have!" because I am making a very tamed as opposed to a wild allegation. The ICT / IT department hardly complements management. Whereas human resources, financial resources, knowledge resources and logistical resources were being overseen and directly managed by top management, information and ICTs or ITs are proving unique to manage - so we delegate its management to a Generation X guru! A who? "Those people of IT"

Many have noted and I have also observed and agreed that something amiss is happening, reflected in a functional and systems line of thought and have come to some agreement with the self:

These departments haven't been tamed by top management. The entire institution and the ICT / IT department are therefore lead from behind by young computer geeks and professionals who unfortunately are not in top management. When it comes to the IT / ICT department, top management is unfortunately at the mercy of these geeks. The geeks speak a unique tongue that management has no choice but to follow.

Talk of lack of Hybrid Management. Top Management is inadequate when it comes to properly managing the ICT / IT department let alone lead in integrating ICTs to better organisational performance. As a result, the information, ICT / IT department is many a times (mis)managed through delegation, outsourcing, hope and merciful wishes to "computer specialists" - Let those who know IT better manage the department for us - and there begins the unchecked mismanagement of Information Systems, ICT / IT departments and projects. Do we get to know why Information Systems, and projects will fail us in one way or another? Do we? Oh yes! We lack Hybrid management! So who is to blame? (Mis)managers! Who bears the blame? The (mis)managers too! If the ICT / IT department is lucrative, do we have an idea of the cost of having it mismanaged?

Have I presented a grave situation in your institution? Do you want it tamed? Are you in East Africa or Southern Sudan? Will you aspire to become a hybrid manager? No!?
You may contract me also, or else kiss bye bye to your career because you will be retrenched and archived if you don't join the new breed of managers called Hybrid Managers!

So what the fuss a Hybrid Manager?

"A person with strong technical skills and adequate business knowledge or vice versa .... hybrids are people with technical skills able to work in user areas doing a line job, but adept at developing and implementing IT application ideas" - David J. Skyrme

Join the club because you will know the difference between Management Information Systems and Information Systems Management and that you badly need both of them to operate in this age. Manage ICTs. Make ICTs work for you, learn Information Literacy. Reduce on the failure rates of ICT Projects / Information Systems. Understand ICTs. Borrow a Civilisation!

Nose to the South

The Sudan Tribune reports that Southern Sudan's H.E Salva Kiir is taking no chances with the (political?)developments in Southern Sudan! Six cabinet posts were (unbelievingly? / strategically?)reshuffled and among those affected were the Vice President of Southern Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar and Mrs. Garang. The vice President is no longer enjoying his previledges as a Minister of Housing and Lands, while Garang's widow, who was Minister of Transport and Roads, became a Presidential Advisor of Gender and Human Rights and ironically becoming a symbol of an entrenched gender imbalance in the same government she is supposed to advise on gender strategies: Women in Development. Women and Gender. Gender Mainstreaming. Gender every where, gender no where! Gender no where, Men 99% Vs Women 0.99%. Invalids possible.

Meanwhile UgaBYTES reports that the East African Secretariat down south in Tanzania wants SMEs to show case internet potential in East Africa through its East African Community Regional ICT Support Programme: Open Call for Proposal. Project should cost between 5,000 - 20,000 Euros and last a maximum of 12 months!
The deadline for applications is 9th July 2007 at 17:00 (EAST) Visit http:///www.eac.int for more

A note to the 27th Comrade. How do you do it? You seem to be allover the Ugandan blogsphere! Get for Ish a site meter! Am busy, thinking, waiting and hoping! Let her have a borrowed civilisation too!

Free Computers to Africa

Free! Because that is the suitable catch phrase for dumping outdated computers to Africa! Dumping, Yes! Dumping because these computers are stone age old, monstrous consumers of our inadequate electricity, with snail fast processors and worthless specifications.

These are hoped to accelerate the (under)development of Africa! The developed countries might have realised that it was far much cheaper to donate outdated computers to Africa, and her rural communities than try to dispose off these toxic gadgets in their tiny countries without endangering their environment! Africa has to will to receive these kind donations! We receive naively! Maybe they give naively too! We (we and them) might be adding to Africa's woes!

Here is a reality bound for Kenya. Similar ones are already in Uganda and soon in Southern Sudan!

Outdated computers bound for Africa : Kenyan researchers will use laptops to aid water analysis

Twelve laptops that have reached the end of their use in the North Hunterdon/Voorhees Regional High School District will soon make their way to Kenya.

That was ICT and environment. Now I ask, where is the wisdom we have lost in ICTs? How many National ICT strategies for African countries? And whose ICT strategy? Ours or their corporations?

Rwabuna! I heard and saw a white hen quacking at a reception area!

[Slight edits on May 29th 2007]
What has happened to the floppy diskette!? Thank you Rwabuna! We have got rid of it already. I haven't used a floppy in ages! That annoying 31/2" thing, infecting computers with virsuses, causing me to explain again and again what a computer virus is and that we don't need ngabo condoms to avert the consequences of recklessness in the information society!

A revolution began when Alpha Oscar and Hotel Oscar, who were very fresh from university (2003) were contracted to set up a resource centre and a bibliographic e-database for an NGO. Assignment well accomplished. While I soon took up a position as a programme assistant, Alpha Oscar continued job hunting else where.

Firstly I had to learn about our organisation and be prepared to respond to queries about the institution. Two weeks I was reading and consuming the new doctrine I have sincese mastered. But then I came accross phrases in our annual report that puzzled me and caused me to begin the thoughts towards upgrading our I.T systems: LANs, WANs and their annual budgetlines! And I didn't see a LAN nor a WAN! No I.T lord but me the fresher!

LANs! WANs! Not really! Not the one the comrade or any I.T aware fellow would say he knows or about cables, peers and servers, but something abit different. Local Area Networks and Wide Area Networks, LANs and WANs were taken to mean the collaboration / engagement by our institution with other institutions both within Uganda and accross boarders!

Today - May 2007, the institution has a LAN and has forgotten about having its own WANs in the more strict sense. They network! No more budgets for LANs, WANs and floppies! Talk about streamlining I.T in the institution! No use for floppies now! Internet, Flash, ... and Skype are the talk!

Rwabuna! How could a professional be more grateful in this age! I couldn't believe it! I couldn't! I heard and saw a white hen quacking at a reception area! =))

PICTURE Africa! Ugandan Bloggers and the Danish Factor

PICTURE Africa
PICTURE Africa is an acronym for Poverty and Information and Communication Technology in Urban and Rural East Africa. PICTURE Africa is a three year study in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. It is being funded by the IDRC. On Monday the 23rd April 2007, I met Kathleen Diga, from the International Development Research Centre IDRC. Katheen is the person behind the blog Picture Africa. Discussions were centred on issues regarding a communication strategy for the PICTURE Africa Project. We, later attended a joint meeting of teams from PICTURE Africa Project and Research ICT Africa (RIA) before finalising with PICTURE Africa Country team members. True! A Communication strategy has to be developed and implemented! Some pictorials at her post.

Ugandan bloggers
On Sunday, I had the chance to meet some faces behind the Ugandan blogsphere and the Danish students doing a documentary on Ugandan bloggers. Thanks to Dennis Matanda of the Call for the African Recolonisation fame.
Dennis was the idea behind the romantic atmosphere at Joglo, paid all the swine meat bills and accompanyment! A big thank you Dennis! Bloggers! Hips don't lie! Ugandan bloggers, FDC and UPC bloggers inclusive - I don't see the NRM bloggers!, love their bottle, love to flirt, have fun, chat, smoke and locate the g' spot! A blogger is about to fix or marry another in Uganda! A Ugandan tribe is being developed! Ugandan bloggers shall be a force to reckon with!

I left early. I had to! I had to babies sit! And now I say bye bye to the Danes. Come back again! The documentary! Thank you Ugandan bloggers who were there: S.A.G.E , Country boyi, I have left Copenhagen for Uganda! Feed me, love me, never leave me Carlo All sweetening hats who came Rumbling and Rubbish, you should also meet this Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwean Dennis Matanda!

Borrowed Civilisations

ICT is the way to go! ICT!? Yes ICT. Information and Communication Technologies or Information Communications Technology aka Information Technology. ICT, the cousin to Informatics, Information Systems, Information Science, Information Engineering, Computer Science, and all the hype around it! However, ICTs are foreign to the bulk that make African cultures. True! Africa must not only adopt, absorb, concot phrases to refer to ICTs and related concepts but also be prepared to embrace and use ICTs in everyday businesses and activities.

Absorbing a foreign technology is like borrowing a leaf from a foreign civilisation! It can not be easy.This is the context I dwell in. The Information Age version of Uganda, Southern Sudan and indeed Africa. I therefore feel the following skills are badly needed in order for Africa to benefit from this borrowed civilisation called ICT: Information Literacy and then Computer /ICT literacy. I conquer with the following definitions from the National Forum on Information Literacy:

"Information Literacy is the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand. "

Information Literacy is primarily my training in Library and Information Science.

"Computer Literacy: The ability to use a computer and its software to accomplish practical tasks."

Computer Literacy is a vital component of my primary training. I use computers to accomplish my information literacy tasks. To me, this is Informatics! Informatics is achieving an Information service task using a computer.

Were I to combine my Informatics with some training in an information domain such as the health domain to accomplish a health service task, then I would be into Health Informatics!

I wish somebody could throw some light on these borrowed civilisations called ICTs, Informatics and Information Sciences!

Mabira! Good governance my hoof!

Uganda has a daddy! He is giving away his legacies and Mabira forest! His out-law intends to grow sugar cane! Ugandans may demonstrate and die but planting a natural forest is quite easy!
Crazy as it might seem, the inevitable is deemed to happen! And if I were to believe the editors at the The Monitor, then M7 either has a unique vision or cares less if not both! Has Museveni really decided to give away Mabira.

"As to the courts, the judges are not the ones who liberated Uganda. Their vision can not be superior to the one of freedom fighters...those are my views and stand."

If such an excerpt is one from a president's letter to his premier, then fadal! Welcome to the reality in Uganda. With three Ugandans dead, Ugandans seeming like racist pigs for attacking Ugandans of Indian origin, and daddy my hoof still bent on awarding the forest to his environmental outlaw by popular opinion, then the out cries to save Mabira have yielded nothing but highlighted the leadership credentials of a despot in a banana republic!

From the Information Society perspectibe, I too ask! Where are the Ugandan bloggers and websites? My verdict is that Uganda has a hand full of bloggers and that 99p.c of Ugandan websites are failures one way or the other! Environmental websites in Uganda like the website of NEMA, and that of ACODE can not be relied upon to provide online timely information on what should be their niche in the fight to save Mabira - Mabira updates! There are afew Ugandan bloggers and most are sleeping as a group of Danish students could honestly say!

"We would like to get in touch with Ugandan bloggers to learn more about why they blog and what blogging can do - what kind of opportunities does blogging create for communicating in Uganda, and to the rest of the world? What effect does it have on Ugandan society, if any? We are the amateurs, and we need help from the professionals - you, the Ugandan bloggers. Only you can tell us what blogging means to you."

e-citizenship: Mabira Forest for sugar cane plantation

Mabira Central Forest Reserve and a Natural Conservation Area on the Kampala-Jinja highway could pave way for sugar cane plantation. Common sense is against it but the management of SCOUL and the Metha Family feels that this forest is the best place to expand their plantation of sugarcane. The Environmentalists world over and lay Ugandans will have non of this. The Save Mabira Petition echos similar sentiments! Yours truelly has signed the said petition. The petition is threatening 10,000 signatures!

From the information society perspective, the Save Mabira advocacy might have brought out a non political aspect of Citizen participation in the Information Society in Uganda. What could be called e-advocacy is being witnessed in Uganda. Campaigns, petitions and mobilisation have been conducted by SMS, E-mails, websites, TV and indeed radio broadcasts.

Some questions still lingers: To what extend have Ugandans in Uganda used the power of ICT on the "Save Mabira" campaigns? What ICT sysyem - email, website, TV, Radio, Internet, etc- ranked prominent? What threats? Which Ugandan Website can take credit?

Update from the The Monitor Website: A demonstration against the move is currently taking its toll. However, Demonstrators are spilling their sentiments on innocent Ugandans of Asian origins - Indian businesses to be precise. The Metha family are Ugandans of Indian origin. The demonstration threatens to turn violent!

Juba!!

Been offline! Had travelled into the jungle of a city called Juba in the den and centre of conflict - Southern Sudan! Internet is cruelly expensive perhaps most expensive in the world and is the hottest reeking capital city nearing 40'C at times! lots of opportunities but the most expensive place to be and you can get stranded with dollars in your chest. I Will update when I can

My apologies!!

Information!? How absurd!?

I have a problem: I am a member of several mailing lists / listservs and a creator and moderator of some few. I do access not less than fifty mails a day: Mails about Information systems, information architecture, information professionals' mailing lists, monitoring and evaluation mailing lists, and yes! junks do sneak in! Am in eight mailing lists! I really get lots of information. But then what have I got? Power!? No! Knowledge!? To an extent! Information overload! Very much so! Information! Misinformation! Disinformation! What is information!?

In the first instance the term "information" is not clearly defined! What do they mean by the term Information ? Could information have been confused to mean a communication!? What does Wikipaedia tell us!? Anyway has the world any standard defination of English terms and abstract such as information!?

I have information is abundancy - all sorts of information like useful Wikipeadia and Google .com can avail but have I the power!? Power over what!? Over my destiny?; competitors?; floks? or what!? Information! What does the blue print of information in its purest form contain! Does information in its purest form contain only facts!? Is information still power!?

I have too much information around me that communicating it is as hard as comprehending them! There lies the absurdity! I have too much information around me but hasn't harvested enough from them! And oh yes! I have another thing! I can communicate to thousand people and only at a click to these very sources of information - the mailing lists! But what do I tell tell!? Yes it is also Information and I also export my confusion to them to consume!
One thing for sure: Knowledge is Power!

Uganda: Information and ICT

The puzzle the Information Age presents has won Ugandans two full Cabinent Ministeries and a State Ministry! This thing called information, has warranted that the government of Uganda led by H.E. Rtd. Lt. Gen. Y.K. Museveni, Chairman NRMO and Commander in Chief (CIC) of UPDF, create the vacancies for:

• Minister of Information and National Guidance.
• Minister of communication and information communication technology (ICT).
• And Minister of State for ICT.

These three ministries shall be dealing with information in all its context. Need I include Dr. Nsaba Buturo, the former head in the Department of Information in the office of the President. Well Dr. Nsaba Buturo is now a an almighty Minister for Ethics in the Office of the Vice President! Ethics!! What ever that means! Nevertheless, I can't help witnessing Uganda discuss the nitty gritties of handling this information age and the knowledge economy!

Below is the full list of the new cabinet that was sworn in today June, 02 2006. This is an extract from Uganda's leading daily -The New Vision of June 02 2006. (The emphasises are mine!)
................................................................................

1. PRESIDENT: Yoweri Museveni
2. Vice President: Prof. Gilbert Bukenya
3. PM Prof. Apolo Nsibambi
4. First DPM and Minister in Charge of EA Affairs: Eriya Kategaya
5. Second DPM and Minister of Public of Service: Henry Kajura
6. Third DPM and Minister of Information and National Guidance: Kirunda Kivejinja
7. Minister for Security: Amama Mbabazi
8. Presidency: Beatrice Wabudeya
9. General Duties (OPM): Adolf Mwesige
10. Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries: Hillary Onek
11. Defence: Dr Crispus Kiyonga
12. Relief and Disaster Preparedness: Tarsis Kabwegyere
13. Education and Sports: Namirembe Bitamazire
14. Energy and Minerals: Daudi Migereko
15. Internal Affairs: Ruhakana Rugunda
16. Finance: Dr Ezra Suruma
17. Works: John Nasasira
18. Justice, Constitutional Affairs and AG: Dr Khiddu Makubuya
19. Gender, Labour and Social Affairs: Syda Bumba
20. Trade and Industry: Janat Mukwaya
21. Water and Environment: Maria Mutagamba
22. Lands, Housing and Urban Development: Omara Atubo
23. Health: Dr Steven Mallinga
24. Foreign Affairs: Sam Kutesa
25. Minister of communication and information communication technology (ICT):Ham Muliira
26. Local Government: Maj. General Kahinda Otafiire
27. Without Portfolio: Dorothy Hyuha
28. Chief Whip: Kabakumba Masiko

MINISTERS OF STATE:

1. Agriculture: Kibirige Ssebunya
2. Fisheries: Fred Mukisa
3. Animal Industry: Maj. Bright Rwamirama
4. Higher Education: Gabriel Opio
5. Primary Education: Peter Lokeris
6. Sports: Charles Bakabulindi
7. Energy: Simon D’Ujanga
8. Minerals: Kamanda Bataringaya
9. Finance (General Duties): Fred Omach
10. Planning: Omwony Ojwok
11. Microfinance: Salim Saleh
12. Investment: Prof. Ssemakula Kiwanuka
13. Privatisation: Chekamondo Rukia
14. Foreign Afairs (International Affairs): Okello Oryem
15. Regional Affairs: Isaac Musumba
16. Gender (Women) Rukia Isanga
17. Youth: James Kinobe
18. Labour: Mwesigwa Rukutana
19. Disabilities: Sulaiman Madada
20. Health (General): Richard Nduhura
21. Primary Health Care: Dr Otaala Emmanuel
22. Housing: Werikhe Kafabusa
23. Urban Development: Urbane Tibamanya
24. Lands: Atwoki Kasirivu
25. Office of the VP: Economic Monitoring): Kagimu Kiwanuka
26. OVP (Ethics): Nsaba Buturo
27. Office of PM (Relief and Disaster preparedness): Musa Ecweru
28. OPM (Northern Uganda): David Wakikona
29. OPM (Karamoja): Tom Butime
30. OPM (Luwero Triangle): Nyombi Thembo
31. Trade, Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities: Wambuzi Gagawala
32. Industry: Ephraim Kamuntu
33. Tourism: Serapio Rukundo
34. Water: Jenipher Namuyangu
35. Environment: Jessica Eriyo
36. Transport: Simon Ejua
37. Works: John Byabagambi
38. Defence: Ruth Nankabirwa
39. VP Office: James Baba
40. Internal Affairs: Matia Kasaija
41. Justice: Fred Ruhindi
42. ICT: Nsambu Balintuma
43. Local Government: Hope Mwesigye
44. Public Service: Sezi Mbaguta

.............................................................................................
One for the road -The notorious self styled Lt. Gen. Joseph Kony of the LRA is a fugitive. Kony's atrocities are well documented.
Justice or peace? South Sudan meets rebel fugitive: By Daniel Wallis JUBA, Sudan, June 2 (Reuters) -

Why would Africa's youngest regional government risk world opprobrium by meeting with and supplying a guerrilla commander notorious for slaughtering civilians, abducting children and mutilating his victims? The government of Southern Sudan last month shocked many regional observers by holding unprecedented talks with fugitive Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony and giving him food and $20,000 in cash.

Tomorrow Saturday the 3rd June 2006, is Uganda Martyrs' Day.

Information Age dilema

We are consumers and producers of information through formal and informal communication. How a party consumes and produces information is another thing all together. However in this Information Age, information, misinformation, and disinformation are being consumed and produced enormously - thanks to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS). Information literacy - the skills of knowing how to create, locate, evaluate, organise and use information - becomes a paramount skill to wade through vast amounts of information. The Information Age's maze and ICTs presents a different kind of challenge all together.

ICT is a luxury fast becoming a necessity in the Information Age. ICTs, also one of the most lucrative business ventures of our era is taking centre stage in leading humanity into the Information Age.

In Uganda, the Ministry of ICT is now only awaiting formalities. The Ministry of ICT has been mentioned and passed by the 8th Parliament of the Republic of Uganda and its likely Minister could be Dr. Ham Mulira, an ICT expert here in Uganda. An ICT expert!? Who is an ICT expert!? What are the qualifications for one to become an ICT expert!? Who needs an ICT expert anyway!?
Of a Computer scientist, an Information Technologist, a Telecommunicationist, an Information / Informatician Scienctist, UNESCO and the International Telecommunication Union, who should spearhead the agenda for humanity in the Information Age and with what mandate!?

The Information Age needs cadres who are primarily information literate. Literacy - the ability to read and write though vital is not good enough. The communication aspect of information is dearly needed. Then can knowledge of ICT skills kick in. A combination of Literacy, Information literacy, communication skills and ICT literacy is the better option for this information age.

I posted an article titled ICT Minister for Uganda to this blog and got the following comments / feedbacks:
Comment # 1. Tue May 09, 03:36:47 PM EAT
1. I find that the info about your storm centres has not come out clearly - reading it, some Ideas come but I do not get what you really mean.
2. The story about Ministry of ICT or Ministry of Information!?
Who is the author of this story? if it is you, your presentation does not depict that the ideas are yours. If its another persons work, please indicate so vividly
If you are reviewing a story, please state that its a review and please take time to work on your presentation (your arrangement of facts and words, your flow of ideas). I think that's one reason why you try to mix colours in your text, to me they are a distruction.
There are good ideas in the story but I think you could make them flow in much better way.
My reply to # 1:
You comments are definately very interesting! It is a piece for thoughts!!

Comment # 2. Thu May 25, 03:23:33 PM EAT
This is very interesting content here. I will continue to read. Although I was interested in knowing if the work here is of your own ideas or are they article critiques of sort?
My Reply to # 2:
Thanks Stiltwalker.
I happen to be following the development of Uganda's ICT sector and "movement". I understand your fears but more importantly I hope to provoke an indepth analysis of ICT for Development Programmes in Uganda and other LDCs. ICTs seem not to have disadvantages here! Article critiques can not be ruled out on this blog! I hope to do so soon. How ever that article was a critique of a picture of Uganda's drive to meet the MDGs through promotion of ICTs.

I must add that, these articles are merely my opinions and at worst let them be my grumblings and your information. I am happy to share thoughts and experiences with you through this blog and your feedbacks are very welcome.
And in the words of Abraham Lincon, If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?

ICT Minister for Uganda

Ministry of ICT or Ministry of Information!?
ICTs are Technologies for Communication of Information. . Lets juxtapose and analogise the relationship between ICTs and Information - an abstract unique commodity, in a pipe and water scenario: ICTs are like pipes! Information is like water!

Now we consume water to survive, clean water is paramount! Ask Water Aid. Water is best delivered to us, modern human beings through a network of pipes of water. However water can also be delivered through other means, in rural Africa, we draw water from springs, wells, dams, rivers, lakes, oasises, and rain water without use of pipes!
We need information to realise holistic human development, moreso relevant timely quality information. Information is best delivered today through use of vessels called ICTs and more so its network. In rural and even urban Africa, information is being delivered through non ICTs means such as words of mouth (oral tradition), drums, signal, print media, cinema, and dramas! ICT has never been a prerequisite to access and consume information.

We therefore have alternatives to access and consume water just as we we have alternatives to access and consume information. The means, ICT management and policies are not the critical issues! The critical issue for holistic human development is Information management and its policies. ICT issues compliment information and communication commodity issues!

The Government of the Republic of Uganda is at the verge of setting up a full Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). To the ICT enthusiastics - Your editor equally quilty, - it is such a big sigh.
I don't wish to wink about this not for one second! Ministry of ICT!?
How does the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) come in!? If ICTs are Technologies for Communication of Information and they are Technologies, then won't it be more appropriate to have atleast UCC and UNCST under a new Minstry of Science and Technology in Uganda!?

This Ministry, all but about the means of information delivery - ICTs and not the cherised commodity -Information, stinks so unfortunate!

It is official, the Information Act of Uganda is in place! The Department of Information (DOI) in the President's Officer recently passed the Information Act of Uganda. Where does this ICT minsitry leave this noble Department of Informationin in the Office of the almighty President of Uganda!? Should that department remain under the discretion of the Office of the President of the land!? What powers has this DOI got!? And if Information and Communication - not ICT- is a human right would it be so unjust if it were under another relevant minsitry say the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development which already exist!? In any case media freedom can best be guaranteed by these ministries!

That commodity and abstract called "Information" is being sidelined by a consortium of information technology enthusiastics, power struggles and dollars! $! What good is ICT when freedom of information, communication, expression, speech, association and privacy hasn't been adequately guaranteed by what so ever specific policy and Ministry in this Pearl in Africa!? In Uganda's context which Ministry or Presidential department again formulates and guarrantee these policies and noble rights with regard to Information!?

Will the Ministry of ICT really guide us throught the maze from DATA to Information to Knowledge and Wisdom and what justification if any needs Uganda such a Ministry as a Ministry of ICT when Uganda hasn't even a Ministry for Science and Technology neither has she a Ministry for Information!?
And to any sane person, which issue has more concern for the common man: Data issues like connectivity, Digital Divide, internet governance or Information issues like freedom of speech and expression, right to access of information! Therefore needn't it be that the Ministry of ICT and Department of Informtion be merged and perhaps call it Ministry of Information!? A Ministry of Information is more inclusive of Information policies and Information Technology policies and would definately have to cater for ICTs issues! This is an Information Age!!

Has the US Government or the Japanese a Ministry of ICT!? Ok! Thailand has a Ministry of ICT! I mean are there best ICT mainstreaming practices out there in the world!? ICT and Society!? Is there such a thing as Sociology of ICT / information - Social Informatics!? Are we in a Telecommmunication Society or are we in the Information Society!? What was International Telecommunication Union (ITU) doing spearheading the Tunis 2005 World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS)!? Wasn't she hard pressing her "telecommunication Issues" at the expense on critical information issues!?

ICT issues in Uganda need be well thoughtout, internalised, researched and well documented before being included in Uganda's Ministerial structures otherwise it is could be a duplication of work by government agencis like the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), Uganda National Council for Science and Technolgy (UNCST)! And worse still Uganda might never ripe dividends out of the said ministry.

Perhaps its about high time the Ministries in Uganda are systemised to make them more inclusive and avoid duplication and waste of taxpayer and donor funds!
Below are the Numerous ministeries in Uganda (Source: The Monitor Business Directory, 2005 Page 266):

1. Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries
2. Ministry of Defence
3. Ministry of of Education and Sports
4. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
5. Ministry of finance, Planning and Economic Development
6. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
7. Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
8. Ministry of Health
9. Ministry of Internal Affairs
10. Ministry ofJustice and Constitutional Affairs
11. Ministry of Lands water and Environment
12. Ministry of Local Government
13. Ministry of Public Service
14. Ministry of Works, Housing and Communication!

Reflections on the Information Society

The Information Society and the canopy that ICTs are offering wrings my neck!! Ever since the phenomenonal slogan Infomation and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) was drummed, the phrase ICT is quickly surpassing every other development aspect of the Information Society in Africa and developing countries! Any other issues have to toe the ICT movement. While it is true ICT offers great potential, Africa and other victims could soon find themselves in a development chaos of sorts for over jumping into the fray! I love to wonder!
To E-ready countries, ICTs have become the one vital tool through which the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) can be met! The ladder; the magic bullet; the everything for realising quicker development! But how about Africa the continent in which the very basics for participating in the Information Society are either inadequate or totally lacking! - The Sudan moreso the Southern Sudan and Darfur, Somalia, DR. Congo, my poor Pearl of Africa - Uganda, and many more LDCs world wide!

Okaaay! Africa is soon improving on its connectivity levels! A big Thank YOU to the Investors! "The easy cable is a fully integrated multi-technology network. It is an undersea fiber optic cable that will link the countries of East Africa to the rest of the world."

But what are ICTs!? ICTs in a nutshell are Technologies for Communication of Information! They are definately technologies!
According to the WSIS Declaration of Princples Article 8, the tenents of PROSPERITY were mentioned as: Eduction, Knowledge, Information, and Communication!
NOTE: Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) were not mentioned in Article 8 of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) Declaration of Principles as tenents of prosperity!! They are however sprinkled all over and spiced the Declarations.

The real declaration Article 8 reads thus: "We recognize that education, knowledge, information and communication are at the core of human progress, endeavour and well-being. Further, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have an immense impact on virtually all aspects of our lives. The rapid progress of these technologies opens completely new opportunities to attain higher levels of development. The capacity of these technologies to reduce many traditional obstacles, especially those of time and distance, for the first time in history makes it possible to use the potential of these technologies for the benefit of millions of people in all corners of the world."

If this is the case, then WHY not intensily the promotion of the cores of PROSPERITY namely: Education, Knowledge, Information, and Communication!? Have ICTs become more important than those cores of human well being!? What can we do without!? What is at stake!? The internet or is it the $$ or human prosperity!? WSIS!? Is it an Information Society or a Telecommunication Society we are experiencing!?

I am left wondering: Have we been disinfomed! Have we been hoodwinked!? Have we been dopped!? How will a continent that derives so little pleasure from using especially the Internet of all ICTs benefit from the ICT revolution! Are there alternative ICTs more relevant to our situation! Are we on the right track!? What could be the driving force$!? Is the whole thing WSIS about ICTs and the Internet in particular!? Where are the African researches on this thing Informatics!?