Yosia Mumbere: 2012

Monday, October 29, 2012

ICT-Unlock people's potentials

It was worth another good experience setting up more centers for information access.one of the reasons for the set up of these centers is to help Local Governments, CSOs and the entire public to share and get information that is necessary for their daily work.
Information is power. And also powered the district and can now at www.bundibugyo.go.ug

Bundibugyo District LG ICT Centre

Work at Kamwenge District LG

Friday, March 23, 2012

Launch of the second E-Society Resource center in the Rwenzori region

Kabarole District Local Government in partnership with RWECO/RIC-NET have launched yet the second E-society center in the Rwenzori region at Kabarole District Local Government headquarters.

The function held at Tooro club yesterday was witnessed by the Local Government technical staff from Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kamwenge and Bundibugyo Districts, political leaders of the Kabarole District led by the Chairperson LC5 who was also the Guest of honour for this function, representatives from the media houses and representation of the Civil society.

A number of activities were carried out including the speeches from different stake holders.

The District information officer Kabarole Ms Lillian Nkwenge introduced the whole concept of the E-society center to the invited guests’ right from inception to the set up. She noted and recognized the efforts of RIC-NET for this noble cause right after the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) late last year (2011). She noted that the E-society was going to be one stop center at the District for information sharing, trainings and other related services.

In his opening remarks the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Kabarole Mr. Juma Nyende expressed his gratitude to RIC-NET as development partners thanking them for all the tireless efforts to see that this dream of the E-society has come to pass.

He noted that Kabarole as a district had started an idea to have a Local Area Network at the District which was already being implemented to avoid use of public internet café’s by their staff since they handle sensitive information. He also asked the District staff to fully utilize the center. He noted that the District website online was to be continuously updated and edited and that therefore all staff should comply whenever approached for information.

The chief Administrative Officer also informed the guests of the commitment they (District) had shown by offering space that houses the E-society center, some staff and other logistics.

In her speech the Program Manager RIC-NET who represented the Executive Director thanked all members for having honored the invitation to come and attend this important function. She explained how RIC-NET a member organization of RWECO came into partnership with Kabarole District Local Government and later the setup of the center. She also said that this ICT hub was among other services going to facilitate information sharing for a poverty free society, become one stop center for research now that Kabarole has two Universities and that it would serve as training center for internship students in some occasions. She also said that consultative and round table meetings had been held for Kyenjojo and Bundibugyo Districts for the establishment of the E-society centers and that an official visit had been done for Kamwenge.

She requested for their cooperation and concluded with the signing of the dedication document of the E-society center to the people of Kabarole. It was received and signed by CAO and District chairperson Kabarole on behalf of the people of Kabarole and later read to the guests by the RWECO coordinator Mr.Jimmy Odyek who later handed this document to the District Administration officially. The document also contained a detailed list of all equipment in the E-society resource center.

In his closing speech the District chairperson who was also the Guest of honor thanked RWECO through RIC-NET for all the efforts of having this center a reality at the District. He pledged that the District was going to continue supporting this center to see that it is sustainable and continuously runs and can also be used by the other leaders who may come after them.

He emphasized maximum utilization of the center and was happy by the 296 users who were reported to have used the center form November 2011 to date. He said that since this has officially been published more users of this center will come on board.

He later launched the kabarole website “ I therefore officially launch this website that is hosted at www.kabaroledistrict.go.ug “ he further opened the E-society resource center officially at the end of the function and departure was later after lunch.

I Was part of the activity esp. the ICT work of the center.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

In the same spirit of promoting social accountability and increased access to information, CEW-IT through RIC-NET set up a data center at DENIVA head offices in Kampala on 17th Jan 2012. DENIVA Staff thereafter was trained in the use of E-plat forms on the 18th Jan 2012.
ICT CEWIT CU-Emmanuel Oluka took DENIVA staff through an over view of the Uchaguzi platform that was used during the 2011 elections. He showed them how it was used.
The essence of this was to introduce them to the HUDUMA platform that is going to be used during the social accountability project. He explained to the participants that Huduma is a Kiswahili word meaning “service delivery”. He said that this is being harmonized together with other partners in Kenya called Sodnet.
Emma went ahead elaborating that this platform was going to work just like the Uchaguzi platform. Members of public (Citizens) will be sending messages to 6333 a short code that is yet to be procured and those messages would be approved, sent and flagged to different people responsible for address. And that these messages will capture and focus on 5 major issues in the project namely;
 Water
 NAADS
 Health
 Education among others
The Huduma platform was discussed in details.
The Executive director RIC-NET further led the participants in the use of other e-platforms for easy communication and information sharing. Among others was the use of blogs where one was created for DENIVA, use of skype.

This was yet another session that members enjoyed and signed up for some of these e-platforms. LCDs (projectors) were later handed over to DENIVA for her the other data centers that are yet to be set up soon.

I was part of this

Sunday, January 8, 2012

NEW YEAR MESSAGE

Now is the time to act, open up this new years eve and tell that every person you come across even if it is a stranger, to spread love, affection and warmth around them.

Make this new year special by plating a tree, feeding hungry people, adopting a lonesome street dog, helping your house maid by giving some warm clothes for her children, take a vow to never bribe or accept any bribe to get your work done, Make it even more special by telling your beloved that your love for him/her will be like wine, it will get more refined and more precious with time.

And when you are done, welcome the early sun of the new year with open arms and full vigor.So, buckle up and welcome the new year.

Using ICT for information sharing, access and holding leaders accountable is one of our efforts at RIC-NET to see it come to pass. we are using a number of e-platforms to share the information and this year round we want to have even more and more.

conduct trainings to get people (Local Government Leaders, CSOs,Entire community) familiar with these ICT tools in information sharing.