Prof. Balunywa urges govt tech boost at trendsetters forum

Former Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Professor Waswa Balunywa, has called for increased government support to overcome the technological challenges facing Uganda.

Speaking at the 5th Business Trendsetters Forum, Professor Balunywa highlighted the critical role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies play in shaping the future of business globally, urging Uganda to keep pace.

“The Trendsetters is an organization that looks out for what is trending in business. It looks out for what is that technology that is trending and avails information to business people, to government, to see that we can adopt those trendsetting things,” Prof. Balunywa explained.

This year’s forum focused on the usage of AI, a technology Prof. Balunywa believes is revolutionizing how business is conducted worldwide.

Citing a personal experience, Prof. Balunywa shared, “Recently I did a 25-page document in 10 minutes using AI—speech to text.”

However, he was quick to point out the significant barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of AI and technology in Uganda.

“But what is the problem in using AI or technology? First of all, people don’t have equipment. How many people have got computers? How many people have got mobile phones that can be used for this?”

Beyond the lack of devices, Prof. Balunywa identified additional obstacles, including limited access to data, inadequate internet infrastructure, and unreliable electricity.

“People don’t have money to buy data. Even the internet itself is not adequate in the country. And while somebody may have the computers, the electricity is a very big problem. Despite so much being produced, it goes off so much,” he observed.

In light of these challenges, Prof. Balunywa made a strong appeal for government intervention to make technology more accessible to all Ugandans.

He suggested that subsidizing internet costs could be a crucial step towards closing the digital divide.

“We are appealing to government to find a way in which they can subsidize internet for people in the country,” he urged.

Reflecting on the limitations faced by many Ugandans, particularly those in rural areas, Prof. Balunywa noted the president’s previous recommendation to use radios during the lockdown as a temporary solution.

“That is the way to go for some time because for ordinary Ugandans, it is cheap. You just put a battery and use it.”

With approximately 80% of Uganda’s population residing in rural areas and only about 22% having access to electricity, the professor emphasized the urgent need for more robust government support to enhance the country’s technological capabilities.

“We must adopt technology if we are going to compete on the global scene,” he asserted.

“If we don’t adopt technology, you find we are using a hoe to do coffee. What if we used better technologies? We would be producing more coffee, better quality, and getting more money out of it.”

Professor Balunywa’s message was clear: for Uganda to thrive in the competitive global market, embracing technology is not optional—it is a necessity.