By Aggrey Baba
In the heart of Kampala’s busy markets, a quiet revolution is unfolding, one phone at a time. What was once a space ruled by handwritten receipts and word-of-mouth transactions is now embracing digital tools, proving that even the most traditional businesses can thrive in the digital age.
Jane Nakitto, a 57-year-old vendor at Port Bell Market, used to struggle with tracking her sales. Today, she confidently records transactions on her phone and receives payments via mobile money. “Before, I would lose track of what sold best. Now my phone tells me,” she says proudly. She is one of 851 vendors who have graduated from a digital skills program that is reshaping Kampala’s markets.
The initiative, a collaboration between Uganda’s Ministry of ICT & National Guidance, the National ICT Innovation Hub, and private sector partners such as MTN Uganda Foundation and Huawei Uganda, has trained vendors in using technology to manage businesses more efficiently.
Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT, emphasized the significance of the program. “When we see market vendors using digital tools to increase their incomes, we’re witnessing digital transformation that matters to ordinary Ugandans.”
Through training sessions held at Kamwokya Community Centre, Kamwokya Market, Kitintale Market, Port Bell Market, and Usafi Market, vendors have learned skills ranging from inventory tracking to digital payments and online marketing.
Robert Okello, a produce seller for over 20 years, now manages supplier relationships via WhatsApp instead of making time-consuming phone calls. “I was afraid of these things,” he admits, pointing to his phone. “In my age, you think technology is for the young. But now I send price requests to five suppliers at once instead of calling each one. I save time and find better prices.”
To ensure accessibility, the program introduced digital buses, mobile training centers equipped with computers, internet, and interactive screens. Initially met with skepticism, these buses are now a hit among vendors eager to modernize their businesses.
For Esther Namuganza, a 26-year-old single mother who sells handcrafted baskets, digital skills have expanded her market reach. “Now I take photos of my best designs and share them in WhatsApp groups with tourists and expatriates,” she says. A recent order for 50 baskets from a hotel in Entebbe is proof that technology can turn small businesses into global ventures.
The program has also empowered women, with 42% of participants being female. Fatima Nakabuye, a spice vendor in Kitintale Market, now relies on her phone rather than her teenage son for business transactions. “Men always had more connections for business. Now my phone is my connection,” she says.
Beyond individual success stories, the program is driving larger economic change. Trainers report that vendor incomes have risen by an average of 15% within weeks of completing the training.
With plans to expand to Eastern, Western, Northern, and Central Uganda, the initiative is set to transform even more lives.
Steven Kirenga, General Manager of Product Development at Centenary Technology Services, calls this “technology democratization in its purest form.” He explains, “When a market vendor realizes they can use the same technology as a corporate executive to solve business challenges, that’s when digital inclusion becomes meaningful.”
As the MTN digital buses prepare to roll out to new regions, Kampala’s market vendors are proving an old saying true that “a bird that does not fly believes the sky ends at the top of the tree.” With digital skills, they are soaring higher than ever before. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
