To meet the demands of modern governance, 200-plus government communicators participated in a practical training programme on digital and strategic communication. The course, held at the National ICT Innovations Hub in Nakawa, was facilitated by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in partnership with MultiChoice Uganda.
Notably, participants were drawn from ministries, departments, and agencies, trained in two cohorts of 100 each, and taken through sessions focusing on real-world communication challenges, including crisis response, localisation of government messaging, and video storytelling, skills deemed essential under the new National Development Plan.
Presiding over the graduation, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr Aminah Zawedde, voiced the urgency of embracing AI and evolving communication tools. “We are building a digitally literate and engaged society. Therefore, this training has laid a strong foundation for delivering government messages that are timely, trustworthy, and aligned with today’s realities,” she said.
Dr Zawedde cited the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) as a leading example, applauding its effective use of digital trends to connect with and engage the public, which has continuously demonstrated how innovative communication can enhance service delivery and public trust.
Building on Dr Zawedde’s call for clear and purposeful communication, Mr Odrek Rwabwogo, Chairperson of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), spoke of the importance of clarity and intent in public messaging. He said, “Effective communication is not just what is said, but how clearly we see, how urgently we respond, and how well we stay anchored in service.”
From the utilities front, NWSC’s Director of Public Relations, Mr Samuel Apedel, took participants through key public relations concepts while hinting at the importance of audience understanding, stakeholder engagement, and proactive crisis management.
“Every organisation will face a crisis. It is not a question of if, but when. How we prepare and respond is what defines us,” he said.
The NWSC team, including Senior Manager Corporate Communications Mr George Kasule and Manager Marketing and Digital Communication John Fisher Sekabira, shared insights on NWSC’s evolving communication strategy, including the Corporation’s “Next Practice” approach to public engagement.
