Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo Districts sign MOUs for E-society Resource Centres and Technology for Social Accountability

RIC-NET signed Memorandums of understandings this morning with  Kyegegwa and Kyenjojo  Local Government leaders.

This comes after several round table meetings and presentations to the Technical Planning Committees (TPC) of the benefits the Districts are planned to gain by embracing the e-society and online platforms. The  e-society resource centre and online platforms are  to supporting the“Enhancing Civic Competence for social accountability” project that is being piloted in 25 Districts in the five regions of Uganda under the Citizens Election Watch-IT (CEW-IT) consortium.This EU/HIVOS funded project implemented is implimented by RWECO members (RIC-NET, Ride Africa, KALI, GHRD) in Rwenzori region and the ICT key partner RIC-NET was mandated to implement the e-society components. RIC-NET agreed to the design and develop District websites and E-libraries; provide five computers, Photocopier and Fly box for internet connectivity to each District. This equipment will form the e-society resource centre that will enable easy information sharing and access to the entire community.

In Kyegegwa, the MOU was signed by  the District Chief Administration Officer, the District Chair Person Hon. B  Norman and witnessed by Mr.Kuteesa the District planner .  RIC-NET Executive Director  M John Silco and ICT Officer Mr. Yosia Baluku represented RWECO/RIC-NET.

C.A.O Kyegegwa and RIC-NET ED append signatures on the MOU

 In his remarks the ED RIC-NET informed the Districts leaders that ICT equipments will be delivered early next year 2013 and so they need to be citing a free room that could accommodate the e-society resource room. The main component for this year is to have the Districts websites and e-libraries up and running before December 2012

In his remarks the LC5 chairperson Kyegegwa District Hon.Birungi Norman thanked RIC-NET for all efforts to see that ICT is being spearheaded in local governments. He also requested that the lower local governments be included on the District website.
 The CAO of the same District was so grateful for the support from CSOs towards ICT development in the District.

In Kyenjojo,  the MOU was signed by Mr. Martin Jacan Gwokto the Deputy CAO and witnessed by Mr.Kamara the District Information Officer. Mr. Martin was so grateful about the initiative and promised the District committment to impilmentation of the e-society platform  for better information sharing and service delivery tracking.

Deputy CAO and DIO Kyenjojo & ED RIC-NET signing the MOU

RIC-NET promised the present the District website designs for approval next week in order  the Districts officals harmonize their requirements and acceptance thereafter be uploaded and run online.

Kyegegwa will be hosted at www.kyegegwa.go.ug while Kyenjojo will be hosted at www.kyenjojo.go.ug. The electronic library will be a component on the websites that will allow districts to upload public documents that can be accessed by anybody anywhere in the universe.

Uganda rejects criticisms of dissent intolerance

 

Date: Oct 17, 2012  as Published by The NewVision

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/636496-uganda-rejects-criticisms-of-dissent-intolerance.html

 

Uganda’s deputy Justice and Constitutional affairs minister has sharply rejected opposition criticisms that the government is intolerant of dissenting views.

Uganda’s constitution protects the freedom of expression and association as well as the freedom to demonstrate peacefully.

“However, when you are doing that, do it in such a way that you do not also infringe on the rights of others,” said Freddie Ruhindi. “I think that is a fair qualification within the constitution.

“The government has been tolerant,” he added. “Every type of media is in Uganda. Tell me which paper has Uganda banned? They write whatever they want to write and if anybody is aggrieved by what anyone is writing, he or she goes to court, either for libel or for defamation. That’s legitimate.”

The political opposition and civil society groups have often accused the government of infringing on their constitutional rights. They contend that state security agencies frequently arrest, intimidate and crackdown on opposition protests. The government rejects their criticisms as without merit.

According to an interview by Voice of America, Ruhindi also dismissed a human rights report that President Yoweri Museveni’s administration has refused to investigate the deaths of at least 40 people during two days of rioting three years ago.

Uganda rejects criticisms of dissent intolerancePublish Date: Oct 17, 2012

In its report, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the government has yet to investigate the deaths during the “Kayunga riots” despite numerous promises to do so. Human Rights Watch said a parliamentary committee examining the incident has stalled, failing to call any witnesses. No police or military members, the rights group said, have been held accountable for the violence.

“The long government inaction on the killings of people in September 2009 is an insult to victims. Resorting to lethal force without clear justification in the face of protests is unacceptable, yet it is becoming the norm in Uganda,” said Maria Burnett, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.

On September 10 and 11, 2009, Ugandan security officials tried to prevent the cultural leader of the Buganda ethnic group from traveling to Kayunga, a town near the capital, Kampala. His enraged supporters took to the streets in protest. They threw stones and set garbage on fire.

Human Rights Watch said the military and police responded by shooting into the crowd, leaving at least 40 protesters dead.

Ruhindi said the government is working on measures to investigate the incident and prosecute those responsible.
“I wish those [accusers] could be frank enough to say that government should actually investigate all wrongdoers,” said Ruhindi.

“Where in the world would you find an ordinary person hitting a policeman or policewoman?  Where, other than Uganda and that person goes scot free?” he asked.

Accessed on Wednesday 17/10/2012  from: