The Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi today launched the ‘Recentering the Civic Internet through Partnership (ReCIPE) Project’, an initiative of Oxfam and the Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG). Funded by the European Union (EU) and valued at €270,000 (approx. UGX1.2 billion), the three-year project (2024 – 2027) aims to leverage technology to amplify the voices of Ugandans and ensure their interests are represented in the digital sphere.
“As I launch the ReCIPE Project, I feel excited as a Minister responsible for ICT that Oxfam and the CCG are adding a building block on this journey of Uganda’s digital transformation,” said Baryomunsi before he officially launched the project at a press briefing held at Fairway Boutique Hotel in Kampala. “The Ministry appreciates this project, and we shall be there for you —and ensure that this project succeeds.”
The ReCIPE Project implemented in 10 countries, Bolivia, Cambodia, El Salvador, Kenya, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, Uganda, and Vietnam, targets civil society organizations, civic activists, and community members who constitute or represent communities to improve their digital literacy, capacity for influence in decision-making spaces, and ability to partner with other stakeholders on digital rights threats and opportunities. In addition, it targets technology companies and government authorities to foster the creation and enforcement of effective laws and policies on digital rights.
Ms. Judith Atim, Head of Programs at CCG, in her presentation on CCG’s digital rights works in Uganda, said, “Digital rights are an extension of human rights outlined in the declaration for human rights except in this case, digital rights play out in the digital realm allowing individuals to access, use, create, and publish information freely, and in so doing, it allows them to enjoy and exercise their freedom of expression responsibly.”
Dr. Sarah Bireete, the Executive Director of CCG —excited about the project launch said, “We are proud to be associated with the ReCIPE Project and the work we do with Oxfam.” Bireete added that the ReCIPE Project embodies the belief that the Internet is a shared public resource and as such, it must be guided by the needs and aspirations of the communities it [the ReCIPE Project] serves.
ReCIPE Project contributes to Oxfam Uganda’s strategic objective of advancing inclusive and accountable governance systems that promote the rights of vulnerable people. It also aligns with the government’s commitment to digital transformation, as outlined in the digital transformation roadmap (2023/27, and the Digital Vision 2040, among other related initiatives.
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Oxfam Uganda Director; Francis Shanty Odokorach in his remarks told the press, that through the project, they aim to influence and shape policies and legal frameworks that govern digital interactions, ensuring that digital spaces are inclusive, fair, and reflective of the needs of all Ugandans. “The ReCIPE Project is not just about technology, it is about people, it is about creating a digital ecosystem where every Ugandan can participate, contribute, and thrive,” he said.
The internet and other digital technologies are critical tools for advancing human rights and helping address some of society’s most pressing problems. However, digital technologies can also curtail rights and deepen inequality. In an era where the internet and digital tools have become integral to our daily lives, the ReCIPE Project will work to reach over 10 million internet users in Uganda.
Internet penetration in Uganda is still below global standards and this has been attributed to the cost of smartphones, the cost of the Internet, and high taxations on IT devices, among other reasons. According to the data available, the high cost of the Internet coupled with its wavering reliability and poor governance have kept it out of reach for many who need it.
Baryomunsi said the Ministry is engaging with the government to make the Internet affordable and available to everyone. Among the solutions he highlighted, (1) the Ministry proposed to the President to remove taxes on all IT-related services and devices, (2) attracting tech companies to assemble their phones in Uganda, and (3) ICT Ministers across East Africa are discussing having a regional satellite to supplement the other forms of existing sources of the Internet.
As for now, the government is making internet connectivity available to all citizens across the country through its NBI Project —which according to Baryomunsi they have covered half of the country. He further said the government has the resources to extend the fiber to the rest of the country.
“We hope that once we have covered the entire country with fiber, we shall get many more people hooked to the internet,” he said. “That itself we see the cost of internet lowered.”
In her closing remarks, Dr. Bireete said together with their partners, they are committed to building an internet that empowers Ugandans, strengthens democracy, and fosters social potential.
