KASESE district is to get Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment worth about shs24m, from the Rwenzori Information Centres Network, (RIC-NET).RIC-NET is supported by the Dutch Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries (HIVOS) and the European Union.
The equipment, which will include twelve computers, a multipurpose photocopier that will also serve as a printer and scanner, will be stationed in the District Information Office at Rukoki, the district headquarters.
A Local Area Network and internet services will also be set up to facilitate information-sharing between the district, the civil society organisations and other stakeholders in and outside the district.
The ICT facilities will be part of the information Desk that the two sides have agreed to set up under the Public-Private Partnership that the district and stakeholders mooted in 2006. The equipment is to be hosted by the District Information Office, which the district is expected to equip with furniture.
This is contained in an agreement signed between RIC-NET and Kasese district Local Government November 25th at a ceremony that took place in the office of the district Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO).
The support is being provided under the auspices of HIVOS and the Europena Union, the funders of RIC-NET.
The Deputy CAO, Willy Bataringaya and the RIC-NET boss, John Silco Murugahara, signed on behalf of their respective organisations at the function, which was witnessed by the Coordinator Rwenzori consortium of Civic Competence, James Mwrima and the District Information Officer.
John Silco Murugahara said the equipment would be delivered around 4th December.The agreement, that is valid for the 24-months, follows a series of partnership activities between Kasese district and RIC-NET, which has included a dialogue meeting in June this year and training of select district and civil society staff in web 2.0 tools that took place at Kabarole Information Centre.
The dialogue and the training were facilitated by the International Institute for RIC-NET is also in the process of helping Kasese district to revive her district website (http://www.kasese.go.ug) and in the creation of the d-group (an electronic platform for information-sharing among stakeholders in and outside the district accessible on http://rwecovoice.blogspot.com.
RIC-NET will also train district heads of department in web content development and information sharing tools including sms messaging skills.
By John Thawite
