The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Huawei ICT Competition Awards Ceremony, held on December 23 in Kampala celebrated innovation and excellence in the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Presided over by John Chrysestom Muyingo, the state minister for Higher Education, the event honored Ugandan students who excelled in this year’s competition with gifts and awards worth Shs 40 million.
The ceremony brought together top ICT talent, their tutors, and university Vice Chancellors, celebrating the groundbreaking ideas showcased at the global finals held in Shenzhen, China, earlier in May.
The 8th Huawei ICT Competition 2023–2024 Global Final, hosted in Shenzhen, drew over 170,000 students from more than 2,000 universities across 80 countries, marking it as the largest offline competition since its inception.
Ugandan teams emerged victorious in several categories: The Ugandan teams achieved remarkable success, with the Grand Prize awarded to Network Track Team 1 (Gulu University and Muni University), First Prize to Network Track Team 2 (Kabale University), Second Prize to Computing Track Team 1 (Muni University), and the Women in Tech Award to Network Team 2 (Kabale University).
The 12 Ugandan students representing the nation were flagged off by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet K. Museveni, on May 16 at State House Nakasero. In her message delivered by Muyingo, the First Lady encouraged the participants to leverage their ICT skills and innovation as competitive advantages, while also expressing gratitude to the Chinese Embassy in Uganda and Huawei Technologies Uganda for their contributions to Uganda’s ICT sector through initiatives such as the DigiTruck, the LEAP Digital Talent Training Program, and internship programs.
Kedrace Turyagyenda, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, commended Huawei Technologies and the Chinese Embassy for their long-standing partnerships with Uganda, which have fostered collaboration and development across various sectors.
H.E. Zhang Lizhong, Chinese Ambassador to Uganda emphasized Huawei’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s ICT infrastructure and digital transformation. He also pledged China’s continued cooperation with Uganda, highlighting plans to implement the Ten Partnership Actions for modernization over the next three years.
Ssali Gao, deputy managing director of Huawei Technologies Uganda, praised the students’ dedication and highlighted the role of the Ministry of Education and Sports in creating an environment conducive to nurturing young talent. He emphasized the importance of their collaboration in fostering innovation and preparing students for future opportunities.
