By Silvia Nyambura
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has appointed a new Board of Directors for the first time since UCC and Broadcasting Council merged under the Uganda Communications Act 2013. The board consists of 9 members including Chairman Vincent Kasangaki representing the Institutions of Professional Engineers of Uganda (UIPE) and William Byaruhanga from Uganda Law Society. Others include Charles Auk, an ex-officio, from the Ministry of ICT while Godfrey Mutabazi, by virtue of his being the Executive Director of UCC, is the secretary of the Board. On the other hand, Nora Mulira, Wardha Rajab-Gyagenda, Evelyn Piloya and Jane Anyango Kabbale, are eminent persons representing sections of the general public such as consumers, bankers, researchers and the academia.
Unveiling the board in Kampala on 1st October 2014, the Minister for ICT John Nasasira said he was satisfied with the team in terms of quality, professionalism, gender balance, regional and interest-group representation, among others.
“This appointment comes at a time when there are tremendous opportunities and challenges in the communications sector. Institutional capacity, manpower development, ICT infrastructure development, information security, local content, e-Governance and e-Services are some of the issues that need urgent attention in the sector. However, the new National ICT Strategic Plan, currently being finalized will address most of these challenges,