Users on digital participation in Uganda

Affordability is a big issue for many people

Gira Emmanuel is a citizen journalist who leads the “Common Community” project, a radio soap opera that won the Rising Voices citizen journalism micro-grant in 2014.

Gira Emmanuel

Gira Emmanuel is a citizen journalist who leads the “Common Community” project, a radio soap opera that won theRising Voices citizen journalism micro-grant in 2014. He is based in Lira, a city in Uganda’s Northern Region, and uses the Internet in his journalism work.

In our office we use a modem to access the internet – a very simple mobile device – and mobile phones and a laptop. For our mobile phones we buy internet bundles like ordinary people, but they’re very expensive. Affordability is a big issue for many people. So is the acceptance of the Internet. Many people still don’t want to use the Internet since they don’t see any use for it and don’t think it improves their daily lives. Another problem for us in the office is Internet quality and speed. We live in an upcountry region where the services of telecommunication providers are not very efficient. That’s why radio is still the most popular medium, also because it is exactly tailored to people’s needs in terms of local languages.

The #speakup barometer is a DW Akademie project that examines the connection between digital participation, freedom of expression and access to information. Learn more at www.dw.com/barometer

Date 16.11.2018
Feedback: Send us your feedback.
Print Print this page
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/386UT

Date 16.11.2018
Send us your feedback.
Print Print this page
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/386UT

DWA DW Akademie speakup barometer Uganda

Uganda: Positive developments in innovation overshadowed by digital rights limitations

Uganda features a large number of innovation centers and the quality of digital journalism in the country is improving. But restrictive media laws and low media literacy rates are limiting digital participation.

DWA DW Akademie speakup barometer Cluster Access

Access: New investments could bring down costs

High data costs are one of the main factors hindering digital participation rates in Uganda. But the country’s stated commitment to infrastructure development could bring down prices, which is cause for optimism.

Uganda Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala, witnessradio.org

Digital Rights: Civic space continues to be constrained

Rights to online expression in Uganda are under threat. They are constrained by overly broad, vaguely defined laws that can be used by politicians to criminalize speech on the Internet they do not like.

Media: Journalists under threat

A social media explosion, the dominance of radio and a government in fear of losing control. It can be hard to find your bearings in Uganda’s media landscape—the risks and potential for participation sit side by side.

Society: Between digital enthusiasm and tradition

Ugandans love the Internet and usage rates, while still relatively low, are growing quickly. But this rapid expansion has also led to problems in a society still largely organized along traditional lines.

Innovation: A country in the starting blocks

Despite serious challenges around red tape, infrastructure and poor capital flows, Uganda’s government has plans to jump start the country’s ICT sector. Observers say there’s reason for cautious optimism.