The Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) has made strategic changes in the distribution, affordability, and accessibility of the Uganda Gazette with the launch of a maiden digital edition dubbed the E-Gazette.
The announcement was made by Prof. Sudi Nangoli, the UPPC Managing Director who said that the tactical shift from legacy arrangement to the online platform was necessitated by the industry dynamics including the need to enhance accessibility and convenience for all Ugandans.
For the past 120 years, the Uganda Gazette, an official legal document and official government newspaper of record, has been in hard copy. Yet, with the increasing favor for digital platforms among the public, the Gazette is now making the transition.
“We made initial efforts to go digital and scaled back, but now we are officially reintroducing the E-Gazette copy,” Prof Nangoli said. “We must keep up with trends as the world moves towards digital, and we cannot remain confined to traditional hard copy,” he stated.
He added that the e-version of the Uganda Gazette is not only affordable compared to the hardcopy but also eliminates the burden of dealing with physical papers for proper records keeping.
“The annual subscription fee for the hardcopy Gazette is 1.4 million shillings, while the e-gazette is only 800,000 shillings. For a nominal fee of 3,000 Ugandan Shillings, users can now have the entire Gazette at their fingertips than paying 5,000 for the hard copy,” Nangoli explained.
To access the E-gazette, individuals need to subscribe by opening an account on the UPPC website by logging on to www.uppc.go.ug and navigating to the ‘E-Resources’ option.
The Uganda Gazette, a weekly publication by the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC), is typically released on Fridays. However, an Extra Ordinary Gazette may be published on any day of the week as needed.
This publication regularly features crucial information, including legal notifications, statutory instruments, electoral notices, and private legal announcements.
Legal notices encompass a variety of matters such as bankruptcies, company registrations and closures, probate proceedings, company by-laws, changes in names (deed polls), land titles, statutory notices, laws, ordinances trademarks, certificates of eligibility, places for the celebration of marriages, security uniforms, physical development plans, commissioner for oaths, boards of governors, mining licenses, copyrights and patents, company resolutions among other important updates.
Despite its rich content, the Uganda Gazette experiences limited circulation as a result of a constrained number of outlets. This limitation restricts access to this publication, which should ideally be essential for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, Law firms, Professional Bodies, Private organizations and NGOs, media, the international community and the general audience.
Rebecca Nyakairu, UPPC’s Public and Corporate Affairs Manager, noted that the E-gazette will expand the reach of the Gazette in the public domain.
However, with the digitalization process, it will even become more accessible to anyone worldwide with just a click on their digital devices,” she explained, noting that: “People now have the convenience of accessing the Gazette online, whether at home using laptops, phones, or any preferred devices.”
Nyakairu stressed that the digital transition doesn’t mark the demise of the hard copy version. Acknowledging the preference for physical copies, she affirmed, “Embracing the digital frontier with the E-Gazette doesn’t mean saying farewell to the traditional hardcopy. We understand that some still cherish the experience of a hard copy. Rest assured, the hard copy will still be available.”
The E-gazette aligns with Uganda’s Digitization strategy and UPPC’s recently revealed Five-year strategic plan, wherein the Chief Government Printer aims to leverage technology to enhance their products. During the launch of the strategic plan, UPPC Managing Director Prof. Sudi Nangoli assured that 80 percent of their product offerings will be digitized by 2026.
“As we navigate an increasingly digital landscape, we will harness the power of technology to enhance our products and services for the convenience of our stakeholders,” Prof. Nangoli stated, emphasizing that this move is one of their objectives to protect the environment and improve operational efficiency.
