Paul Kiwuuwa
14 October 2008
Kampala — THE Government is to form a body to set standards for the information technology equipment that is imported, procured and installed in the country.
Ham Mulira, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) minister, yesterday said the proposed body would monitor and set standards of acquisition and ensure uniformity in quality of ICT equipment brought in the country.
Mulira was presenting the proposed National Information Technology Authority Bill 2008 before the parliamentary ICT committee.
He said South Africa, Rwanda and Mauritius were among the countries that have regulatory bodies to oversee the sector.
"The proposed body will provide technical guidance for establishment and access of electronic data in government ministries using the Internet," he said.
Under the Bill, the ICT minister will have powers to appoint the authority's board of directors and to set academic qualifications for appointment and tenure of the members to the board.
The proposed law would empower the minister to suspend or terminate the appointment of members and the authority's functions.
The Bill would also give the body powers to make annual management and budget plans, to carry out accounting and to do auditing.
"We propose the body should have powers to borrow funds to meet its daily obligations," Mulira said.
The committee chairperson, Edward Baliddawa (Kigulu South), said stakeholders would be invited to give their views on the proposed law.
"We shall invite telecommunication companies like MTN, ZAIN, utl, Warid and the Uganda Communications Commission to contribute," he said.
Baliddawa said his committee would also invite importers of ICT equipment, internet service providers, trainers of ICT programmes and other interested parities to give their views.
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