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ItemL’impact du bilinguisme sur l’avancement professionnel en Ouganda: Le cas du Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres(Makerere University, 2015)Cette étude analyse l’impact du bilinguisme sur l’avancement professionnel au sein du Ministère des Affaires étrangères de l’Ouganda (MAE). Dans un environnement diplomatique de plus en plus globalisé, la capacité à communiquer dans plus d’une langue internationale est devenue un atout important. Bien que l’Ouganda soit un pays très diversifié sur le plan linguistique et qu’il encourage l’apprentissage des langues; comme le montre la promotion nationale du Kiswahili, le rôle précis du bilinguisme dans les carrières de la fonction publique reste peu étudié. Selon la littérature, le bilinguisme améliore la flexibilité cognitive, la compétence interculturelle et la mobilité professionnelle, surtout dans le domaine diplomatique. Des exemples comme la France et l’Union européenne montrent que des politiques linguistiques bien structurées renforcent l’efficacité diplomatique. Cependant, la littérature souligne aussi certaines difficultés, comme le manque de soutien institutionnel, l’absence de politiques claires, et le manque d’études locales sur les langues les plus utiles pour la diplomatie ougandaise. Ce manque d’information a motivé la présente étude, qui avait pour objectifs : mesurer le niveau de bilinguisme au MOFA, connaître la perception des employés, et évaluer l’impact réel du bilinguisme sur leur progression professionnelle. Pour atteindre ces objectifs, une méthodologie de type enquête descriptive a été utilisée. Les données ont été collectées à travers des questionnaires structurés, des entretiens semi-directifs et des conversations informelles. L’échantillon comptait soixante agents du service extérieur, travaillant en Ouganda ou à l’étranger. La collecte des données, réalisée entre août et octobre 2024, a respecté des principes éthiques stricts et un équilibre de genre. Les données quantitatives ont été analysées de manière descriptive, tandis que les données qualitatives ont été étudiées selon des thèmes pour mieux comprendre les expériences et opinions des agents. Les résultats montrent que, même si l’anglais est la langue de travail officielle, le vrai bilinguisme (maîtrise fonctionnelle d’une autre langue internationale) reste peu répandu. Les langues les plus courantes comme deuxième langue étaient le français, le kiswahili, l’arabe et le japonais, mais seulement 35 % des participants avaient reçu une formation linguistique formelle du Ministère. La plupart ont appris leurs langues de manière informelle, et beaucoup estiment que moins d’un quart de leurs collègues sont réellement bilingues. Les employés considèrent généralement le bilinguisisme comme utile pour la communication, l’intégration régionale, les négociations et les affectations à l’étranger. Cependant, le manque d’incitations, l’absence de soutien institutionnel et l’exclusion du bilinguisme dans les critères de promotion réduisent la motivation à apprendre et à maintenir ces compétences. Certains agents pensent que le bilinguisme a aidé leur carrière, mais son effet reste inégal et informel. Dans l’ensemble, l’étude conclut que le bilinguisme est un atout important mais insuffisamment valorisé au MOFA. Les principaux défis sont l’absence d’une politique linguistique nationale ou institutionnelle, le manque de formations adaptées, et la faible prise en compte des compétences linguistiques dans les processus de ressources humaines. L’étude recommande des réformes globales, notamment la mise à jour des politiques linguistiques nationales et institutionnelles, la création d’incitations pour l’apprentissage des langues, le renforcement de l’enseignement linguistique, et l’alignement des pratiques du service extérieur ougandais sur les standards internationaux. Avec un soutien structuré, le bilinguisme pourrait devenir un outil essentiel pour renforcer l’efficacité diplomatique de l’Ouganda et améliorer sa présence sur la scène internationale.
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ItemA critical analysis of Uganda Human Rights Commission’s Communication and visibility strategy (2019-2024)(Makerere University, 2025)This study critically analyzed Uganda Human Rights Commission’s (UHRC) Communication & Visibility Strategy 2019-2024. Guided by the Nowak and Warneryd Communication Campaign Model and the Stakeholder Theory, the research examined how media engagement practices, audience segmentation, communication channels, and internal institutional support influence the effectiveness of UHRC’s communication and visibility strategy. The study utilized a qualitative case study research design. The study population and sample size included 15 people, who were purposively selected. Data was collected through interviews and document analysis. The findings revealed that UHRC uses an integrated media engagement approach. The success of these practices is, however, greatly impaired by obstacles that still exist such as budgetary limitations and misinformation. The study also found out that there was no formal guide to audience segmentation. The research established that the vast variety of communication channels employed by the UHRC are traditional media (radio, TV, newspapers), online platforms (website, social media, UHRC App, email), direct contact (community barazas, meetings, human rights clubs), and informational materials (IEC materials, branded items). There was lack of resources in the Public Affairs Unit with no adequate financial support and staffing (only three persons). The communication role and its contribution to the UHRC is not appropriately valued and appreciated. These internal impediments cause systemic obstructions towards realizing the objectives of the strategy since external communication activities cannot succeed without a good foundation internally. The study recommended increasing budget allocation to the Public Affairs Unit, devising a proactive media relations strategy, formalizing a data-driven audience segmentation model. Furthermore, the study recommends tailoring communication to specific audiences, developing a clear communication policy and finding other financial avenues to obtain funds to finance the Commission’s activities.
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ItemExploring the use of big data in risk communication: a study of Uganda’s response to COVID-19(Makerere University, 2025)This study explores the use of big data in public health risk communication, with a specific focus on COVID-19 in Uganda. Using the Ministry of Health (MoH), particularly the Health Information Management Division (HIMD), as a case study, the research investigates how data-driven insights informed the design and dissemination of communication messages during the pandemic’s resurgence phase. The resurgence of COVID-19 after initial containment raised questions about the design of earlier public health messages and the extent to which big data influenced their refinement. The study’s objectives were threefold: (1) to identify the big data tools and technologies used in risk communication by the Ministry of Health’s HIMD during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) to analyse the extent to which big data is used by the Ministry of Health in designing messages against COVID-19; and (3) to establish the challenges of big data use as a tool in communicating health risk messages. Guided by the perception/outrage model of public health risk communication and framed within the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study employed a qualitative single-case research design. Data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with purposively selected participants from the HIMD and MoH communications teams and analysed using Yin’s (2015) thematic analysis framework. Findings reveal that the MoH utilised big data from diverse sources, including health surveillance systems, digital platforms, and community feedback mechanisms, to develop targeted, multi-platform messages aimed at improving public compliance with preventive guidelines. Despite the benefits, the study also highlights challenges such as limited data infrastructure, technical capacity gaps, and concerns around data integration and real-time use. These insights underscore the potential of big data as a critical enabler in designing effective, responsive, and adaptive public health risk communication strategies. The messages, which included text, videos, and fear-arousing content, were designed to motivate compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures. These messages, however, did not influence illiterate Ugandans and those living in far remote areas. The Ministry of Health did not design interpersonal communication messages to avoid contradicting some prevention guidelines, but these messages would have positively influenced the Ugandans identified above, especially after the lockdown. Indeed, the same messages had been applied to prevent COVID-19 resurgence. Big data was utilised to update the Ministry of Health's message designs based on the current state of COVID-19, identify COVID-19 hotspots for targeted messaging, and evaluate public feedback. However, the use of big data was limited by the shortcomings of MySQL, which was the only big data tool employed by the HIMD during the peak of COVID-19. Although other big data tools
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ItemUtilisation of digital media literacies to promote internal communication at the national planning authority during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown(Makerere University, 2025)This study examined the utilisation of digital media literacies to promote internal communication at the National Planning Authority (NPA) during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Uganda. The pandemic led to a quick and sudden shift from physical work-related operations to virtual (digital/online) interactions, presenting significant challenges to Institutions’ internal communications systems. The NPA’s ability to adapt and maintain internal communication during the COVID-19 crisis is a key example of how public sector organisations can remain strong in the digital age. This study focused on three objectives: (1) to establish the digital literacies that NPA staff possessed during the lockdown, (2) to explore the utilisation of the digital literacies possessed by NPA staff to facilitate internal communication during the lockdown and (3) to identify any challenges of using digital literacies to promote internal communications during virtual work operations. To investigate how institutional structures and individual competencies affected communication during the crisis, the study used the Knowledge Gap Theory and Organizational Communication Theory. The study used a mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design; first phase, used structured questionnaire that was administered to 90 participants using stratified random sampling and 72 staff members returned completed the questionnaires. This provided quantitative insights into access, proficiency, and patterns of use of digital tools. In the second phase, qualitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews with five purposively selected key informants, including managers and technical staff, resulting in a total of 77 participants. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Findings revealed significant disparities in digital media literacy across age groups, departments, and gender. Younger workers were more proficient at using digital tools compared to their older colleagues. Smartphones were the most commonly used communication tool due to their portability and ease of access. However, challenges such as unreliable internet connectivity, limited institutional support, device shortages, and self-management difficulties among remote workers were noted. Support staff were disproportionately excluded from institutional communication systems. The study recommends targeted digital literacy training, inclusive ICT policy frameworks, and equitable access to digital resources to bridge existing gaps. Strengthening digital competencies across all staff categories is essential for enhancing institutional resilience and ensuring effective governance in times of crisis.
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ItemExamining knowledge management and strategic communication practices at the trauma, injury, and disability unit, Makerere University School of Public Health(Makerere University, 2025)This study critically examined the Knowledge Management (KM) and strategic communication practices within the Trauma, Injury, and Disability (TRIAD) Unit at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH). Guided by Nonaka’s 1995 SECI Model and Freeman’s 1984 Stakeholder Theory, this research adopted a qualitative case study approach to explore how internal and external knowledge flows are structured, experienced, and constrained. Data were collected through qualitative interviews involving 21 participants and qualitative document review using a structured extraction matrix, with thematic analysis applied to identify patterns across 15 institutional, national, and global documents relevant to trauma, injury, and disability research. The findings revealed that while TRIAD has a strong culture of research generation, it may be facing significant institutional and operational challenges in managing and communicating knowledge, including the absence of a formal knowledge management plan, limited digital infrastructure, and insufficient human resource capacity and awareness. Nonetheless, the study also identified emerging opportunities, such as the recent restructuring and recruitment of a professional communications officer and knowledge translation officer in 2025, leadership support, strategic plan revisions, and efforts to benchmark peer institutions like the African Population Health Research Centre (APHRC) based in Nairobi, Kenya. These positive developments suggest a growing institutional readiness to elevate KM and communication as core strategic functions. The study concludes with context-sensitive recommendations to institutionalise knowledge management systems, strengthen integration with MakSPH frameworks, and enhance TRIAD’s visibility, stakeholder engagement, and long-term impact, as well as opportunities for future research. By offering a grounded analysis of KM and strategic communication in a leading African research setting like TRIAD, this study contributes to broader discourses on research utilisation, institutional learning and sustainability, and public engagement within low-resource contexts.