Ministry of ICT and NITA Uganda Urge on Adoption of Open Source Software

Ministry of ICT and NITA Uganda Urge on Adoption of Open Source Software
Increased awareness, integration and adoption of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in Uganda, both by government and the private sector is key to improved service delivery by government, reduced cost of public service deliver as well as improve competitiveness of Uganda’s ICT and ICT Enabled Services (ITES), Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Uganda’s ICT and National Guidance Minister has said.

Speaking at the 7th annual conference on FOSS and the Digital Commons – IDLELO 7 summit at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Tumwebaze said that as Uganda seeks to increase her share of the global ICT/ITES, there’s need to find new ways of doing business and FOSS presents fresh opportunities for the country. “As a government, we’re very serious on improving services delivery to our people and this requires that we look into more affordable means of serving our people. Presently, government has been spending over $400 million annually on commercial software from the likes of Oracle Systems and Microsoft Corp. Adopting the use of FOSS, will result into enormous savings that can be re-injected into other underfunded areas,” he said.

Tumwebaze added that ICT has received the backing of the highest political leadership and currently features predominantly in the 23 national priorities for the next five years recently adopted by Cabinet as an extension of the 17 priorities pronounced by the President upon acceptance of this new five year mandate. “While on a state visit to the US recently, H.E the President of Uganda committed to the proposal to use cheaper yet equally efficient Open Source Software as opposed to the current policy of relying heavily on proprietary Software, which are far too expensive”...