200 Govt communicators to get digital skills boost

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More than 200 government communicators are set to undergo a comprehensive digital training program next month, a strategic move aimed at significantly enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of state communication in Uganda.

The training, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and MultiChoice Uganda, will commence on July 7, 2025, at the National ICT Hub in Nakawa.

Dr Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, announced the initiative on Friday at the ministry's headquarters in Kampala. She emphasised the mandatory nature of the training for all government communication officers.

"All government communication officers have received communication from my office to participate in this training. It is compulsory because we must have a collective drive," Dr Zawedde stated. "It is the responsibility of the Ministry of ICT, as the mother ministry, to skill them."

She highlighted that the training comes at no cost to the participants, who will receive certificates upon completion. "Our goal now is to improve how we communicate and acquire the right skillsets, some of which MultiChoice has provided to us free of charge."

The training stems from a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in May 2024 between the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and MultiChoice Africa, specifically partnering with MultiChoice Uganda. This partnership aims to achieve various objectives, including content creation and digital skilling.

"Communication officers are responsible for managing government websites and social media handles for different ministries. MultiChoice will help us do this better," Dr Zawedde explained. "Going forward, we shall see better representation of government content online. We are training 200 communication officers, and under a five-year program, our plan is to train about 500 Ugandans annually."

She noted significant progress since the MOU's signing, including the production of podcasts promoting government programs. Dr Zawedde extended appreciation to MultiChoice Uganda, reiterating Uganda's commitment to a digitally literate and responsive public service.

Hassan Saleh, Managing Director of MultiChoice Uganda, affirmed the company's commitment to the partnership. "We envisioned that this partnership would allow us to explore ways to showcase the communication and entertainment industry through mutual exchanges," Saleh said. "We believe this will be a springboard to comprehensively fill the gaps the industry has been facing."

Saleh elaborated that the MOU's purpose is to foster growth and development in Uganda's broadcasting industry through 10 identified initiatives. These include creating a conducive broadcasting environment, developing digital literacy and upskilling programs, developing digital and electronic services in broadcasting, co-designing and co-branding culturally relevant government communication materials, identifying high-quality content aligned with local interests, and providing internship and employment opportunities.

"We also want to actively cooperate in combating piracy in all its forms, including streaming and rebroadcasting piracy, which has been a major vice within the broadcasting industry," Saleh added.