The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in partnership with MultiChoice Africa Holdings, launched a comprehensive media and communications training programme for government communications officers.
The capacity-building initiative which will be held in 2 cohorts on 7-8th, July and 9-10th, July, seeks to enhance the professional capabilities of 200 government spokespersons and public communicators with modules designed to equip them with essential skills in crisis communication and management, localization of government communications, visual media, event storytelling, and platformization.
The training, which was officiated by Dr. Aminah Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, is part of the broader Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Ministry and MultiChoice Africa Holdings to promote digital literacy, responsible communication, and local capacity building in Uganda.
Dr. Zawedde applauded MultiChoice for its spirit of collaboration and efforts in supporting the Ministry in championing effective communication in the country. “Our government spokespersons must be empowered with the right skills to package information and communicate effectively, especially through new avenues brought about by digital transformation,” she said. “This series of trainings marks a significant step towards strengthening public trust and ensuring that messages are delivered with professionalism and impact.”
“I commend industry players such as MultiChoice Uganda, who have taken an extra step to partner with the Ministry to empower Government Communications Officers. This is a display of true Private-Public sector partnership,” Dr. Zawedde added.
The training comes at a time when communication demands are rapidly evolving, with both traditional and digital platforms playing a central role in public engagement. It reflects a shared vision between the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and MultiChoice Uganda to enable credible, timely, and impactful storytelling in government communications.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Hassan Saleh, Managing Director, MultiChoice Uganda emphasized the importance of partnerships and collaboration.
He explained, “At MultiChoice Uganda, we recognize the critical role that communication plays in fostering informed public participation. Through this partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, we are proud to support the professional growth of the Government Communications Officers who are the frontline of public engagement and communication, especially on issues of national importance, including health, education, tourism among others.”
This training demonstrates the Ministry and MultiChoice Uganda’s ongoing commitment to advancing responsible storytelling, skills development, and strengthening national institutions through effective communications training in line with the MOU signed in May 2024.
While addressing the participants, Moses Watasa, Commissioner at the Ministry, noted that the environment in which communicators work has changed, and there is a need to adapt and attain skills that will support the officers to communicate efficiently and effectively.
Rinaldi Jamugisa, PR and Communications Manager, MultiChoice Uganda said that the broader aim of the MoU signed between Ministry of ICT and National Guidance is to enhance the local content sector in Uganda, create awareness about intellectual property rights and Anti-piracy, digital literacy, training, and upskilling within the sector, and industry-wide policy reviews among other key initiatives.
