Latest news with #ChrisBaryomunsi
Zawya
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
President Museveni Tasks Journalists to Promote Regional Integration, Defend Parish Development Model (PDM) Initiative
According to the President, the journalists should use their platforms to promote national development. While meeting journalists of Greater Mubende at State Lodge- Mubende, the President emphasized that the media has a critical role to play in shaping public discourse and building a unified, economically viable region. The meeting was part of the Presidential Assessment tour of the Parish Development Model (PDM) in the Greater Mubende which commenced on April 15th, 2025. 'You, the journalists, should be at the forefront of promoting regional integration. Sensitize the public through radio and media platforms. Those who are still focusing on Buganda, Ankole, or other regions in isolation are making a mistake. Uganda alone is not enough,' President Museveni said. He gave a personal example, saying that although he is a cattle keeper from Ankole, it is people in other regions like Kampala who create demand for his milk and beef, not fellow Banyankole who also produce the same goods. 'We need the East African market. Internal markets are limited. That's why we always tell you that this is not just about economics, it's also about politics. Regional integration will help us get better prices through a wider market,' he added. Switching focus to the Parish Development Model, President Museveni challenged journalists to act as watchdogs, educating the public about the program and exposing those misusing the funds meant for the poor. 'We brought PDM money to help the poor. How do leaders come in and take it? You must defend your people's money. Use your media platforms to expose those who are not serving. Tell the people that some of these problems come from voting in the wrong leaders,' President Museveni said. He explained that the PDM funds are meant to flow from the Ministry of Finance, through banks to SACCOS, and questioned the involvement of parish chiefs who are only supposed to support community mobilization. 'You journalists should explain how this program is supposed to work. Mobilize the people, expose the corrupt. This is your role in protecting national development,' he emphasized. On broader economic issues, the President addressed the recent collapse in maize prices, saying that the solution lies in long-term strategies like value addition, subsidies, and regional market access. 'The price drop cannot be solved overnight. We need more value addition to turn cassava into posho or ethanol. If Kenya wasn't blocking our maize, the demand would be there. That's why we need East African integration,' President Museveni said. He concluded by urging journalists to remain patriotic and push the National Resistance Movement (NRM) agenda of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic transformation, and democracy. 'Your job is not just reporting it's building the nation. Love Uganda, love Africa, and use your voice to uplift the people,' he said. On his part, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, also clarified on the structure and function of the Parish Development Model implementation committees, emphasizing the importance of transparency and community involvement. He explained that there are two distinct committees involved in the management of PDM funds. 'The first is the SACCO Committee, formed by local residents themselves. This committee consists of five members, elected by the community, and it is responsible for identifying and selecting the beneficiaries of the PDM funds,' Dr. Baryomunsi said. 'The second is the Parish Development Committee, which plays a supervisory role. It is chaired by the LC2 Chairperson and includes the Chairperson of the Women's Council and the Chairperson of the Youth,' he added. He further explained that when funds are disbursed, they are sent directly to the SACCO's bank account, and only designated signatories from the SACCO Committee have the authority to access the funds. 'The money is sent to the SACCO's bank account, and only the authorized signatories who are members of the SACCO leadership are allowed to handle it. This structure is designed to ensure accountability and community ownership,' Dr. Baryomunsi stated. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.
Zawya
04-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Uganda Telecommunications Corporation (UTel) to take on operationalisation of National Backbone Infrastructure
Government is moving to revitalise the Uganda Telecommunications Corporation (UTel), after it secured investment commitments from Rowad Capital Commercial LLC (RCC), a United Arab Emirates (UAE) company. The move is aimed at capitalising UTel to take on the management and commercialisation of the ICT National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) in Uganda. According to the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi, the company will take a 60 per cent shareholding in UTel, while government will maintain a 40 per cent share with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development having 25 per cent and the ICT Ministry, 15 per cent. The Minister made the revelation while leading entities under the Ministry to present the Ministerial Policy Statement to the Parliament Committee on ICT and National Guidance on Thursday, 03 April 2025. He added that the new partnership will see RCC make an initial investment of US$25 million, and thereafter, US$200 million over the next three years. 'We have had negotiations and are signing agreements for the new partnership to take effect. Government agreed that we transfer the management and commercialisation of the NBI from Soliton Telmec to UTel,' Baryomunsi said. Legislators raised concerns about the running contract with Soliton Telmec that was contracted by NITA-U to manage the NBI. Committee Chairperson, Hon. Tony Ayoo noted that the National Information Technology Authority - Uganda (NITA-U) contracted Soliton Telmec on a 15-year agreement, with the company in its 12th year of implementing the NBI project. 'Would it not be cheaper to allow Soliton to run their contract for the remaining three years? This period is not too much if it is negotiated well so that we get Soliton out without any cost,' Ayoo said. Baryomunsi said RCC indicated interest to make immediate investment and thus waiting for the contract with Soliton Telmec to end would delay the recapitalisation opportunity for UTel. 'A decision was taken to terminate the contract with Soliton, which will have financial implications due to compensation. The Auditor General has carried out an audit and advised on the implications which government will pay,' said Baryomunsi. He also noted that the new partnership will increase government's gains from the NBI project, as well as strengthen the commercialisation aspect. 'The NBI has largely been used by government agencies with few clients from the private sector. If we fully commercialise it, we will open it up to the private sector so that we can fetch more money,' Baryomunsi added. He said a Board of UTel has been appointed comprising members from government and RCC, which will make a formal resolution that will create a bank account for the initial investment to be made. For the financial year 2025/2026, the Ministry presented a budget request of over Shs205 billion to cater for recurrent and development expenditures, as well as arrears worth over Shs100 billion. NITA-U requires a total of Shs268 billion including arrears (Shs10.3 billion) for the 2025/2026 financial year. Baryomunsi said the Ministry faces challenges including slow automation of government systems and processes, inadequate uptake of ICT due to high costs of internet and ICT equipment, plus existence of many stand-alone government systems that are not synchronised. 'In the next financial year, we aim to improve efficiency in business processes and public service delivery as well as strengthen the enforcement of policies, laws and regulatory frameworks and institutional coordination,' Baryomunsi said. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
