KAMPALA – More than 500 villages across Uganda will be able to access digital television, thanks to the efforts of the Chinese government, a local daily has reported.
The just completed digital television project, under Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages, was handed over to the Ugandan government by China last week.
The Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages is a China-Africa cooperation project that seeks to reduce the information divide by offering digital TV in rural areas.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, underscored the importance of the project in helping Ugandans access information.
Kadaga said: “Villagers will be able to access information on agricultural markets…also help government to improve education standards.”
The project, implemented by StarTimes under the supervision of the Chinese Embassy in Kampala and Uganda’s ICT ministry, was started in July 2018.
Ms Zheng Xiu Fen, the Chinese Embassy economic counsellor, who represented the Chinese ambassador, hailed the good trade relations between the two countries. She said: “China aid is meant to improve standards of living of Ugandans.”
StarTimes chief executive officer, Andy Wang, said the project has installed viewing gadgets mainly in schools, health centres and community centres to help people have unrestricted access to information.