At the 100th Rotary District Conference (DISCON) held in Jinja, James Byaruhanga, Managing Director of Roke Cloud, delivered a compelling keynote on “The Future of Emerging Technologies,” urging attendees to embrace rapid technological evolution or risk obsolescence. His address, blending urgency with actionable insights, dissected trends from 5G to artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and the generational shift driven by Gen Z.
Byaruhanga opened with a stark warning: “Either embrace technology now or prepare to suffer for a very long time—most likely the rest of your life.” He framed technology as an unstoppable force, emphasizing that resistance is futile. Reflecting on Uganda’s telecom journey, he traced the leap from 1996’s 1G-era “brick phones” to today’s 5G networks, which deliver speeds up to 20 gigabits per second—a 350,000-fold increase from dial-up’s 56 kilobits. “The evolution isn’t slowing down,” he noted, highlighting bandwidth, latency, and coverage as critical drivers.
Connectivity Revolution: Fiber and LEO satellites
The rollout of fiber optic cables (“fiber to the home”) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites like Starlink dominated discussions on connectivity. Byaruhanga explained how LEO satellites bypass terrestrial infrastructure, enabling high-speed internet even in remote areas. “Elon Musk’s Starlink is disruptive because it delivers terrestrial-comparable prices anywhere on Earth,” he said, underscoring its potential to bridge Uganda’s rural-urban digital divide.
Also read:
Fourth Industrial Revolution: IoT, Cloud, AI, and Cybersecurity
His speech pivoted to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), driven by the Internet of Things (IoT). “Your fridge, car, and even smart number plates are building a digital footprint,” Byaruhanga remarked, noting the deluge of data stored in the cloud. However, he stressed that raw data is meaningless without analysis: “Big data analytics turns information into decisions.” This, he argued, fuels AI and machine learning (ML), which “aren’t here to replace you but to make work easier and faster.”
With innovation comes risk. Cybersecurity, Byaruhanga warned, now outweighs physical threats. “Hackers target everything—banks, companies, even your WhatsApp.” He projected cybersecurity jobs surpassing physical security roles, citing IoT’s exponential growth. Yet, fear of the “unknown” stifles adoption: “When the unstoppable [tech] meets the immovable [resistance], chaos follows.”
Social age and currency evolution
In the “social age,” perception is shaped online. “Eyeballs are on social media,” Byaruhanga stated, urging businesses to prioritize digital campaigns over traditional methods. On finance, he hailed East Africa’s mobile money dominance but warned of cryptocurrencies’ disruptive rise. “Digital wallets are now settlement platforms. Reject this, and you’ll be replaced,” he cautioned.
Gen Z conundrum and skills for tomorrow
A generational clash looms in Uganda, where 70% of the population is under 30 and inherently tech-native, while decision-makers—often from older generations—prioritize stability over rapid innovation. Byaruhanga highlighted this tension, warning, “Gen Z moves faster. If leaders don’t adapt, they’ll collide.” To bridge this divide, he stressed the urgency of embracing transformative skills. Among these, AI proficiency is critical for automating workflows and avoiding obsolescence, while fostering a digital mindset is foundational. “People are the biggest stumbling block. Transform or stagnate,” he urged, emphasizing that resistance to change stifles progress. Equally vital is social media mastery, as content now drives industries, with traditional sectors like print media crumbling under the weight of digital disruption.
The skill set for the future extends beyond technology alone. Byaruhanga underscored the need for digital currency fluency, urging audiences to look beyond mobile money and grasp blockchain’s expanding role in global finance. Equally crucial are data analytics capabilities to convert raw information into actionable insights—a skill he deemed indispensable for competitiveness. Together, these competencies form a roadmap to reconcile generational divides, empowering leaders and youth alike to harness innovation rather than fear it. The call to action is clear: adapt swiftly, or risk being sidelined in a world where agility and digital literacy define success.
Byaruhanga’s blueprint for a digital future hinges on five strategic pillars designed to navigate rapid technological shifts. First, he emphasized empowering individuals and teams through technology, urging organizations to equip staff with tools that enhance productivity and innovation. Second, fostering curiosity emerged as a non-negotiable driver of progress, encouraging workplaces to cultivate environments where questioning and experimentation are welcomed. Third, leveraging interconnection—exemplified by events like the 100th DISCON—was highlighted as vital for collaboration, enabling stakeholders to pool strengths and accelerate solutions through networking.
The final pillars anchor transformation in practicality and security. Byaruhanga stressed prioritizing data-driven decision-making, arguing that insights derived from analyzed data eclipse reliance on intuition. “Decisions based on facts, not hunches, separate leaders from laggards,” he implied. Lastly, with IoT’s exponential growth, he called for proactive investment in cybersecurity, framing it as the essential safeguard for an interconnected world. Together, these pillars forge a roadmap to resilience, balancing innovation with risk mitigation in Uganda’s digital evolution.
Byaruhanga’s message resonated: Uganda’s tech future hinges on embracing disruption, bridging generational divides, and cultivating skills for an AI-driven, hyper-connected world. With cybersecurity as the guardrail, the race is on to transform fear into fuel—one digital step at a time.
