The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and National Guidance is a newly established Ministry. It was established in June 2006 with a mandate of providing strategic and technical leadership, overall coordination, support and advocacy on all matters of policy, laws, regulations and strategy for the ICT sector. It also ensures sustainable, efficient and effective development, harnessing and utilization of ICT in all spheres of life to enable the country achieve its national development goals.
The Ministry is headed by a Minister who is assisted by one Minister of State. There are two Directorates namely, the Directorate of Communications & Broadcasting Infrastructure and the Directorate of Information Technology & Information Management Services. The Directorate of Communications and Broadcasting Infrastructure comprises the Departments of Telecommunications and Posts, and another of Broadcasting Infrastructure. The Directorate of Information Technology & Information Management Services comprises the Department of Information Technology and the one of Information Management Services. In addition to the above there is a Department of Finance and Administration and a Division of Planning which provide support services to the entire Ministry.
The Information and Communications Technology sector which the Ministry leads is divided into three levels namely, Policy, Regulatory and Operational. The Regulatory level is composed of Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U), while the operational level is composed of telecommunications, postal, Information Technology (IT) and broadcasting operators. Inquiries can be sent to: [email protected]
Functions
Ministry of ICT has three Vote functions:
- Information Technology and Information Management Services (IT&IMS) which is charged with developing enabling policies, laws and regulations as well as promoting, guiding and providing technical support, supervision, monitoring and evaluation to the development and use of IT&IMS;
- Communications and Broadcasting Infrastructure which is charged with developing enabling policies, laws, regulations as well as quality assurance in infrastructure development for communications service delivery and it also provides technical support, supervision, monitoring and evaluation in the development of Communications and Broadcasting sub-sectors; and
- Policy, Planning and Support Services which is responsible for ensuring that the sector complies with policy development guidelines and financial management standards in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act 2015, human resource development and management guidance and other related support services such as Internal Audit and Procurement. This Vote Function also supports planning, budgeting, supervision, Monitoring and evaluation of ICT service delivery at all levels.
The specific functions of the Ministry as outlined in the Report on the Approved Structure (2009) include the following:
- Initiating and coordinating the development of appropriate National ICT Policies, strategies, plans and programmers that extensively increase ICT awareness, skills, knowledge and utilization to enable the country achieve its development goals;
- Developing, reviewing and formulating a National legal framework that takes into account the convergence of information and communications technologies including multi-media;
- Formulating laws and regulations as well as standards that promote, guide, and ensure efficient and effective utilization of ICT and Postal services;
- Setting, regulating and enforcing professional ethics and performance standards for the ICT professionals in the country;
- Hosting, developing and deploying the cadres of all ICT related professionals and technicians in the mainstream public service;
- Initiating, developing, promoting and providing technical leadership, support and guidance for the establishment of sustainable communications infrastructure and e-service systems in the country;
- Setting standards and providing information management services for the depository management, interim archival and storage of electronic information and records and their linkage to the manual systems;
- Developing, documenting and maintaining a databank of National information systems in Government and country at large;
- Supporting, promoting and ensuring a conduct of research in ICT to guarantee that the country develops and assimilates appropriate ICTs;
- Mobilizing resources and attracting strategic investments for developing the sector;
- Coordinating the activities and stakeholders in the ICT Sector so as to ensure enhanced public-private partnerships and harmonized approaches; and
- Monitoring and evaluating ICT services and related activities in the public service (Central Governments and Local Governments).
Vision, Mission & Mandate
Vision
A knowledge-based Uganda where National Development, and good Governance, are sustainably enhanced and accelerated by timely and secure access to information and efficient application of ICT.
Mission
To promote the development of Information and Communications Technology infrastructure and services throughout the country.
Mandate
To provide strategic and technical leadership, overall coordination, support and advocacy on all matters of policy, laws, regulations and strategy; sustainable, efficient and effective development, harnessing and utilization of ICT in all spheres of life to enable the country achieve its National development goals.
Ministry of Information and Communications Technology
ICT House
Plot 10/12, Parliamentary Avenue
P.O.Box 7817, Kampala – Uganda
Tel : +256-414-236262
Fax : +256-414-231314
Email : [email protected]
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