The transformation of Tororo Posta Uganda Office into a modern Service Uganda Centre has reached 20 percent completion, marking another milestone in the government’s drive to decentralize public services and accelerate Uganda’s digital transformation.
A delegation led by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Amina Zawedde, inspected the ongoing renovation works on Monday, describing the project as a major step towards making government services more accessible and efficient.
Once completed, the facility will operate as a one-stop service centre where residents of Tororo and the surrounding districts will be able to access a wide range of government services under one roof. These include national ID registration, passport applications, driving permit services, and many other digital government services.
Dr. Zawedde said the initiative is aimed at ending the long-standing challenge of Ugandans traveling long distances to Kampala to obtain essential government services.
“For many years, citizens have had to travel across the country to access services. Through these Service Uganda Centres, government is bringing services closer to the people while reducing the cost and inconvenience of travel,” she said.
She explained that the project leverages former Posta Uganda buildings, many of which have become underutilized following the country’s shift from traditional mail services to digital communication.
“Rather than allowing these strategically located buildings to remain idle, government has decided to transform them into centres that serve citizens in a more meaningful way,” she added.
Beyond improving access to government services, Dr. Zawedde said the centres will create employment opportunities for local residents, offer free Wi-Fi hotspots, and provide digital skills training for young people, women and other community members.
She emphasized that digital literacy is critical as more government services move online.
“When citizens are asked to apply for passports or other services online, they must have the skills to use these platforms. These centres will therefore also become digital training hubs,” she said.
Dr. Zawedde noted that Uganda has made significant progress in digitizing government systems, revealing that more than 200 government systems are currently hosted at the National Data Centre, while the Ministry of ICT has profiled over 690 government IT systems supporting both public service delivery and internal government operations.
She said online services such as passport applications, e-visas and the electronic government procurement system have improved efficiency, reduced bureaucracy and enhanced transparency.
The Permanent Secretary also highlighted ongoing investments in the National Backbone Infrastructure project, which has already connected 65 districts to high-speed internet, with plans to extend connectivity to schools, hospitals, courts and other public institutions through last-mile connectivity.
Executive Director of the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U), Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, said the Tororo centre is part of a nationwide rollout of Service Uganda Centres aimed at providing citizens with convenient access to digital government services.
He noted that similar facilities have already been established in Mbarara and Gulu, with Tororo joining the growing network. “As NITA-U, our role is to enable digital government services through ICT. We are upgrading these Posta Uganda facilities, equipping them with workstations and connecting government systems so that citizens can access multiple services from one location,” he said.
Dr. Mugasa said the centre will feature approximately 24 service desks, capable of accommodating multiple government agencies including the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Posta Uganda and other ministries, departments and agencies.
He added that the centre will also support programmes such as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, while providing digital noticeboards for disseminating government information. The NITA-U boss said the project will also create employment opportunities for residents of Tororo, who will be recruited and trained to operate the facility. “We are not just connecting infrastructure; we are also preparing citizens to use digital services effectively. Local people will be trained before they are recruited to work at the centre,” he said.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, stressed the importance of completing the project on schedule. “The people of Tororo have waited long enough for such a facility. Our focus now is to ensure full completion so that the centre can open to the public and begin delivering services as expected,” she said.
She pledged that the Ministry of Public Service would continue working closely with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery and operationalisation of the centre.
Posta Uganda Managing Director James Arinaitwe reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to the initiative, saying the Service Uganda Centres are intended to reduce the burden of long-distance travel while improving the quality and efficiency of public service delivery.
