The Ugandan ICT Awards, an idea long overdue

October 29th 2010 was just another day for the average Ugandan but in the circles of the communications industry, this is the day when for the first time ever, an event was hosted to honor leading innovators in the communications sector.

A brainchild of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) , the Annual Communications Innovation Awards are aimed among others at ;
- To promote investment in Research and Development (R & D) designed to contribute to national development through a vibrant communications sector
- Encourage partnerships with the private sector in the provision and development of innovative technology, applications and services so as to meet consumer needs
- To stimulate further investment in the communications industry and other sectors specifically through promoting the deployment of appropriate communications technologies

Uganda is not well known for honoring its very own and that is why when these awards were announced a while back, they generated a lot of excitement because for once it was viewed as a step in the right direction. So much is happening in our local communications sector that tends to go unnoticed and it is hoped that through such initiatives and more, all thee achievements will be brought to light. As a keen follower of the communications industry, I keep hearing of new stuff coming up every other week or month to the extent that I have lost count. Some of them might even be classified as questionable like that software developer who came up with code that can help one disable the network locking of mobile internet data modems. He shared his code with the public and todate many members of that mailing list he is party to thank him for having enabled them to escape the entrapments of incompetent operators who pride in 'jailing' their customers with exhorbitantly expensive network locked equipment.

A look at the panel of judges for this event merely augments its credibility. The carefully selected members are all accomplished people whose decision making abilities can not cast any doubt.

Award winners and their respective categories were;

- Innovative Product Award - Corporate - Warid Telecom Uganda - Pakalast service profile.
- Innovative Product Award -SME - Crystal Clear (U) Ltd .
- Product Developer Award - SMS Media
- Runner - Up Product Developer award - Festus Kamya
- Content Services Award - Text 2 Change Mobile Uganda
- Consumer Empowerment Award - Consumer Education Trust
Student Research Project of the year
Graduate - Paul Birevu Muyinda
Undergraduate - David Esiat

This event marked a good beginning and I am sure there is more to come in future. I hope the award categories can be increased in future. As a community oriented person, I conspicuously realise the absence of an award specifically targeting innovations in Community Based Organisations.

As an idea, I do propose that a Ugandan ICT Hall of Fame is launched too in order to honor those many Ugandans who are or have made remarkable contributions to the growth of the ICT sector. Our colleagues in Kenya already have an ICT Hall of Fame in place and in my view it would go a long way in propelling the image of the ICT industry.
Off the cuff, people like;
- Charles Musisi, the proprietor of Computer Frontiers who has managed the .ug country top level domain ever since its inception.
- Paul Bagyenda, the proprietor of Digital Solutions a pioneer software developer in Uganda who has trained most of Uganda's current home grown talent in software development.
- Kiggundu Mukasa, the proprietor of Serval a pioneer FOSS evangelist and practitioner in Uganda.
- Justin Beyendeza, a pioneer software developer who was part of the now defunct Rank Consult.
- Dr. Ham Mukasa Muliira, a former Minister for ICT and currently a Presidential Advisor.
- Dr. F.F. Tusubira an accomplished engineer with a CV that can take ages to digest.

The list is certainly long but it is my desire that the powers that be at the UCC can think about this and maybe make it a part of next year's event. I look forward to next year's event in earnest.