Districts in Teso and Acholi Region Embrace use of ICT for Social Accountability

RIC-NET under CEW-IT   started  interface meetings with District leaders for the design and development of websites and e-libraries.

This comes after the commencement of the project "ENHANCING CIVIC COMPETENCE TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN 25 DISTRICTS, IN FIVE REGIONS OF UGANDA"

where one of the activities is to design and develop online platforms that will enhance information sharing and gathering feedback from the citizens.

RIC-NET is mandated to implement this activity on behalf of CEW-IT with all  members from the five region of Teso, Acholi, Rwenzori, Buganda and West Nile. The activity is part of the project funded  by EU & HIVOS.

The visit to Teso and Acholi region started on Monday  25th June all through to 29th June 2012 . RIC-NET staff (Executive Director and I.C.T.O) accompanied with staff from PAC Uganda and ACORD  traveled to Teso sub-region and Acholi region. Five (5) Districts were visited and roundtable meeting was held with leaders of Soroti, Serere, Ngora in Teso and Kitgum and Gulu Districts in Acholi region.

Teso Sub-region

Soroti District:
The  RIC-NET team attended a budget conference for Soroti District on 26th June and shared with both political and CSO leaders on the vision of enhancing information sharing through ICT to boost social accountability.

on 27th June, the team met with District Chairperson Mr.Ebunyu George Micheal, the Chief Administrative officer Mr.Okello and ACAO Jane Akiror among others.
some of the issues discussed were activating and redesigning the District website  www.soroti.go.ug that was provided by UCC, development of the E-library and establishing the ICT Resource Centre. 
  The District leadership was very willing to partner with PAC Uganda and RIC-NET to realise the set ideal.  It was recommended that further technical details be discussed with the PPO Mr. Simon Okanya and the Acting District  information officer who was not present.

The leaders assured the team of their support whenever needed and the following action were to follow:

• PAC-Uganda to formalize the partnership by availing and signing the M.O.U with the District such that the technical process commences.
•   The District to get details  of passwords from U.C.C 
• The District staff to start collecting current departmental information.

Serere District

The meeting was held in the C.A.O's office at Serere District Local Government Headquarters.

 

The District leaders led by  the District Chairperson included the District speaker, the Chief Administrative Officer (C.A.O) and the incharge of the website at the District.

The team discussed issues around re-design and development of the District website and e-library, online platform to facilitate social accountability and the bulk sms. www.serere.go.ug is active but has with some challenges and therefore that would need more input. The district leadership appreciated the idea of this technical support and pledged maximum support and co-operation. However, the leaders cautioned the CSO to remain as Civil society and not opposition party agents.

The way forward was that;

Ø  An M.O.U is signed between Serere District and PAC-Uganda so that work can officially start. The district focal person to start collecting current information from departments so as work to become much easier and quicker as it starts.PAC Uganda should organize a district roundtable meeting with all leaders and CSO in the District; and a workshop should be organized to educate some CSO on how the local Government Structures work.  And that design and development of the two online platforms to be done and online 8 weeks after the signing of the M.O.U.

 The C.A.O Serere promised to write to those hosting and maintaining their website to release to them the C-panel details (passwords) so that they can have full access to their site to enable the Technical team start working.

Ngora District

The meeting was held on 27^th June 2012 in the C.A.Os office, Ngora District Local Government headquarters.

The team met the  Chief Administrative Officer  Ngora and shared alot on social accountability and information sharing platforms including the online platforms. 
The District does not have a website and the support to design the District website and e-library was highly welcomed.

The chief Administrative officer was supportive and welcomed the initiative.

As away forward,Ngora District and PAC-Uganda will formalize the process by signing the M.O.U between the two parties and technical work would commence immediately. Details on how to include other online platforms would be discussed in subsequent meeting with both the political leaders and the District civil servants.

Acholi Region

In the Acholi region, two Districts were surveyed and interface meetings were held with the District leaders.

Kitgum District

The meeting was held on 28^th June 2012 at the District head quarters in Kitgum. Present were the District Chair Person, District speaker, the District Data Clerk, ACORD staff in kitgum field office and Gulu office, and RIC-NET/CEW-IT staff.
 

Issues discussed were a build up on what ACORD had shared with the District about the project and also specifically the design and development of the district website and E-library. key issues that these platforms would enhance was: Information sharing and access to all stake holders;     Increasing the District visibility and popularity;  Having district officials corporate e-mails; Having district important documents online for easy access to the entire community among others.
 All the above advantages were explained to all District leaders in all the Districts.

The district speaker appreciated and welcomed the initiative and pledged cooperation. Kitgum had a website  before but went down due to issues of maintenance it and thus calling for fresh design.

It was originally www.kitgum.go.ug .

As for the way forward,  An M.O.U to be signed between ACORD and the District to enable official commencement of the project.
The Data clerk to get back to the technical team (RIC-NET) by Wednesday 4^th July about the proceedings with U.C.C.

  C.A.O to write formally to

 U.C.C and those who hosted the site before for all administrative rights (C-panel details) so as to enable the technical team access the back end of the site.
The data clerk to start collecting current information from all departments to enable speeding up work.

Gulu District

The meeting was held on 29^th June 2012 at the District headquarters Gulu.

The officials met were the District ICT personnel and the same idea of the two online platforms was discussed with him.

He also indicated that they had designed some template/ mockup site of how they would want their website look like.

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He stressed that Gulu has a running website www.gulu.go.ug but also with a number of challenges and would advocate the redesign and development. Therefore the way forward was;

  An M.O.U to be signed between ACORD and the District as the first issue that will act as the entry point. The draft mock up to be shared on mail by RIC-NET so as to guide us design the website according to their preferences. The District ICT personnel to also share the current website administrative details with RIC-NET technical team. The District ICT personnel to contact C.A.O to write to the heads of department requesting them to prepare current and updated information for the website. And also the ICT personnel to go ahead and collect this departmental information.