By: Beatrice Kayaga

As Uganda continues to embrace the digital age, the importance of active legislative engagement in internet governance has never been greater. On April 30, 2025, the Internet Society Uganda Chapter, in collaboration with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), with support from the Civil Society Alliances for Digital Endowment (CADE), convened the 2025 Uganda Parliamentary Internet Governance Forum (UPIGF).

First held last year, the UPIGF aims to strengthen the role of parliamentarians in Africa’s digital development, fostering their inclusion in the digital sphere and ensuring their meaningful participation in shaping Uganda’s digital future. As a key recommendation from the 2024 inuagral meeting, the forum has since been institutionalized, attracting a total of 31 legislators—a milestone in Uganda’s journey toward a more inclusive and secure internet ecosystem.

During the forum, the Deputy Speaker, RT. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, commended the initiative and urged parliamentarians to prioritize addressing internet penetration and

affordability, while also ensuring that technology does not erode human values.

He emphasized the importance of both national and regional collaboration to develop safeguards against harmful content, especially for children, and to promote the constructive use of the internet.

“I am excited about the regional and continental efforts to create a harmonized internet that works for everyone. This is a critical idea I strongly support. Technology is now part of our daily lives, and forums like these are a call to all stakeholders to ensure that it enhances, rather than diminishes, our humanity,” Tayebwa noted.

Honorable Tony Ayoo, Chairperson of the ICT and National Guidance Committee, highlighted the forum as a significant step toward structured parliamentary engagement in digital governance. He emphasized that legislators should be architects of the digital future, not just spectators. Highlighting the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), he pointed out that emerging technologies are reshaping industries and raising urgent cybersecurity and data privacy concerns that require immediate action.

Ayoo stressed that data protection is as critical as physical safety, calling for adaptive governance frameworks that prioritize citizen welfare. He reiterated the need for laws that reflect the realities of Uganda’s digital economy, citing the gig economy as an example—where regulations are essential to ensure fair wages, social protections, and safe working conditions. He affirmed that UPIGF would advocate

for inclusive policies rooted in principles of transparency, inclusivity, and human rights. Further emphasis was placed on collaboration among Parliament, civil society, and telecommunications companies to combat challenges such as misinformation and hate speech while safeguarding freedom of speech. Hon. Sarah Opendi, Chair of the UPIGF, underscored that addressing gendered disinformation and online harassment is vital to ensuring freedom of expression and equal participation, especially for women.

With the upcoming renewal of the UN Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF) mandate, alongside the review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process, parliamentarians must recognize their crucial role in supporting the continued relevance and effectiveness of the IGF. This necessitates tasking the ICT Ministry and its agencies with documenting and evaluating the outcomes and impacts of WSIS to date, as well as assessing Uganda’s performance relative to its action lines. Priority areas identified include internet access and affordability, e-services, data protection, and cybersecurity. The future of the IGF largely depends on active community engagement and demonstrable impact. Initiatives like UPIGF not only demonstrate the relevance of the IGF but also strengthen the case for its renewal—ensuring Uganda’s voice is active in shaping the global digital landscape.