For the last six months ToroDev’s
consultant, Dr. Elly Gamukama, conducted research, designed and is in the
process of developing an application named ”Me and My Leader’ (MML)
e-Participation system. This is aimed at generating appropriate data that gives
a well-informed direction to promote citizens’-duty bearer’s engagement. MML is
envisaged to be a citizen’s platform to air out their concerns on the status of
service delivery and to provide duty bearers access to direct views & needs
of citizens for better planning and budgeting processes at district level.
On Wednesday 19th & Thursday 20th April, 2017 ToroDev held validation
workshops at Gracious palace hotel in Lira & Free Zone hotel
in Gulu respectively with an aim of assessing the validity of the baseline
survey carried out in the region and also promote MML e-participation system features before
the participants. Participants in these workshops included district local
government officials both political & technical, members of CSO’s, media
& respondents from Apac, Lira, Gulu & Kitgum which districts were
sampled to implement the project in Northern Uganda.
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| ED ToroDev Johnstone Baguma presenting the Baseline & Needs Assessment Report |
The baseline
survey findings were presented by ToroDev executive director Johnstone Baguma
while the MML e-participation system features & promotion was done by
Stephen Mugabe of AfriTech, a company contracted to design, implement &
promote MML system. The presentations were basically on the status quo of ICT
use in the areas where baseline survey was done and also a demonstration of
what the system will do in line with improving service delivery. The MML
e-participation system will be implemented in Rwenzori region,
Northern Uganda and Nakuru County in Kenya.
 |
| Mr. Mugabe Stephen of AFRITECH presenting the MML e-participation System features |
Out of the 57 targeted participants, 52 attended the 2 workshops
where 20 were females and the rest were males.
Some of the issues suggested by
participants includes:-
“We
expect the system to keep the identity of the person who sends the message and
validity of the information sent is really important before the information is
published online”.
“There is need to
advertise the system, let everyone understand how it will work and also involve
duty bearers for they are key in decision making’’. Said Sam Jamara the coordinator Apac NGO forum.
“Suggestion
boxes should be encouraged at all service delivery points for the users that
have no phones especially in villages also the system should be promoted in
village meetings & to farmers in villages for everyone to benefit’’. Said Bill Oketch of Monitor News paper based
in Lira district.
 |
| Participants in one of the workshops listening to a presentation |
“The system should send messages to personal
phones so that every person can actively participate on on-going discussion
topics and also involve local government officials not forgetting the cost of
internet being high in the country which to some extent affects participation.
This will help citizens to be aware of the on-going discussions which
accelerates their participation’, said
Owuru Kibwota the clerk to council Gulu district.
 |
| Gulu district speaker Hon. Okwonga John giving closing remarks at Free Zone Hotel in Gulu town |
“I thank ToroDev for taking this direction
aiming at transforming societies and engaging duty bearers in our communities.
The report presents the situation in our areas although we need to work hard to
achieve community participation because it is still lacking in our programming.
We hope this will improve service delivery in our areas and I recommend ToroDev to fully engage
people on ground to the system especially organized groups of say women,
farmers, youth, persons with disabilities, etc’’. Said Ceaser Komaketch the
district planner Gulu.
We are
grateful to SIDA, NED, SPIDER, ICT4DEM,
CIPESA & all other development partners for the financial and technical
support aimed at improving service delivery in communities.
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