I guess there will come a time when it will be possible for a group of Ugandans (or Africans generally) to come together and do something truly great. But for now, and perhaps for the rest of my lifetime, all the truly great things that are done in Africa are done by individuals working in isolation. The higher your capacity to do anything great, the lower the likelihood that you will find anyone else with whom you will gel in both ability and ambition.
Group undertakings in Africa quickly degenerate into the sort of mediocrity and rot that I described in Agency Gone Awry simply because that's the level (intellectual and moral) of the majority. African governments take a lot of flak, but they are the sort of thing you are bound to get when you put together many Africans for a common endeavour. That's why the typical African NGO is just as corrupt and ineffective as the typical African government.
If you are an African and you think you have some sort of genius or exceptional ability, identify something exceptional that you can achieve in isolation and set to work on it. Working with others will lead to achievement that reflects their level, or the average level, rather than yours.
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Dr. Hatwib Mugasa [@NITAUgandaED], the Executive Director of National Information Technology Authority – Uganda (@NITAUganda1), has applied a combination of academic depth and industry experience to reimagine how technology serves the public with real, measurable impact for ordinary Ugandans.
With two decades of experience spanning telecommunications, software development, and innovation ecosystems, his track record includes building software platforms at @Makerere University, deploying the mobile money system at @mtnug, and teaching and researching computational modeling and AI at Louisiana Tech University [@LATech].
His credentials; a PhD in Computational Analysis and Modeling, two master’s degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics, and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science speak of a lifelong dedication to technological advancement.
Since 2020, Dr. Mugasa has scored major strides; cutting internet costs, expanding fibre across Uganda, launching the award-winning UGPass digital ID, and advancing ethical AI and cybersecurity.
Read the full story of Dr. Mugasa reshaping Uganda’s digital future at NITA-U one breakthrough at a time. Tap on the link here;
https://t.co/nUvlfL7ofn
Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Director of @MAKCoEIdentity also presented on the platform's social & anthropological significance, highlighting its role in influencing cultural narratives & preserving indigenous knowledge through contemporary digital tools.
At the end of March, we were delighted to host, in collaboration with @32degreeseast and with support from @UniofNewcastle, "Mufoka: Where Art Meets Plants," an event launching Uganda's first Indigenous Plant Repository.
A heartfelt thank you to @32degreeseast and @UniofNewcastle , our supporters, and the wonderful community that joined us for the launch. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who made this milestone possible.