Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is the regulator of the communications industry in Uganda. UCC regulates and promotes the developments in the communications’ industry. Her vision is to establish a Uganda in which sustainable national development is facilitated through availability and access to reliable, cost effective and affordable communications services largely delivered through an enabled private sector. After the liberalization of the telecommunications industry in Uganda, many players joined the industry so the government realized the need to create a body that oversees the activities within the industry and to also ensure that their consumers are not exploited.
What has UCC achieved over the last 10 years it has been operational?
UCC has harmonized the telecommunications sector and has also created a conducive environment for investors to invest in this area. This is witnessed with the number of telcom operators in the country. The growth of the industry has been phenomenal, which can be categorized in terms of users, service expansion and area of coverage.
What is the RCDF and why did UCC decide to establish it?
RCDF stands for Rural Communication Development Fund. This is an arm of UCC that was established in 2003. It is one of the first to be established in Africa as part of the Association of the Universal Service and Access fund of Africa (AUSAFA), which currently operates in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Morocco.
With over 70% of the Ugandan population residing in rural areas, RCDF’s main objective is to reach these areas and help boost the growth of information and communication technologies so as to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas. This is mainly because people were skeptical about investing in these areas. In order to try and reverse this, RCDF offered to provide between 50% and 60% financial support for any parties interested in partnering with her to establish telecentres, call centres, computer training centres among others in rural areas. The response has been impressive since at least one telecentre has been established in most up country towns.
What is your responsibility as the Director of RCDF?
My responsibility is to oversee the implementation of projects aimed at promoting the growth of ICTs in rural areas. It also involves invention of initiatives that can stimulate growth of ICTs and their assessment so as to evaluate impact.
RCDF has over the years closely worked with telecentres; does it have any telecentres of its own?
RCDF has 15 telecentres. In addition to this, UCC supports private ventures aimed at creating telecentres or any similar facilities in rural areas.
What do you think has been the impact of Telecentres as far as addressing the digital divide especially between rural and urban areas in Uganda?
Their impact has been massive since telecentres offer access to digital technologies. Their social and economic impact goes beyond connectivity since telecentres empower grassroots with all kinds of information meant to bring about economic and social growth. Telecentres have also played a big role in promoting gender equality through sensitization programs, have equipped people with skills through the knowledge they pass on and also offered employment to qualified community members; this is good impact.
Does RCDF have any on going projects meant to increase rural connectivity in Uganda? If so, briefly tell us about them.
Yes. There is the telemedicine program which was launched last year. It will offer support to the Health Management Information System (HMIS). This means that all district medical officers will be connected to the headquarters (ministry of health) where the medical resource database is located. The Telemedicine program will also enable hospitals to use ICTs in treatment.
RCDF also has the secondary schools ICT computer laboratory project, which has so far benefited 106 schools in rural areas. It is expected to reach 206 schools by the end of 2009.
Apparently, we are also trying to establish strategic call centres in rural areas that will supplement the public pay phones so as to ease communication in these areas.
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