Ugandan legislatures have received iPads courtesy of the government. It is all in a move aimed at cutting the stationery costs threefold, reports Biz Tech Africa.

It will also help them carry out their duties within and outside the parliament.

The move is line with the government’s bilateral partnership with the government of South Korea to enhance e-governance in the country. It will enable adoption of technology to cut costs in their discharge of constitutional duties.

“The over 375 legislatures and ministers are also expected to improve efficiency through this initiative and foster service delivery to the masses,” reports the website.  The Speaker of Parliament, Rebbeca Kadaga, presided over the handing over the gadgets to the lawmakers and she challenged them to now become more active and participatory with all the house business.

“This now brings an end to any excuses; all committee reports and ministerial statements will be sent electronically. These tools are for parliamentary business and therefore I hope that you will become more proactive than has been the case. I also expect quick service delivery because by the click of a button we shall be able to communicate. The new dawn will gradually eliminate the lengthy paper process,” explained Kadaga.

The parliamentary committee on Information Technology welcomed the move. The committee has over the years advised government to roll out e-governance. Current statistics estimate about $12 million spent by the government on stationery annually and experts say a move toward e-governance will slash the high expenditure stationery expenditure by three fold. The Vice Chairperson, for parliamentary committee on I.T Vicent Bagiire has for long questioned the rationale of spending more than $12 million on stationery and courier services when the deepening of technology can be adopted to cut the cost.

Many of the legislatures who are not tech savvy and are not conversant with the applications and general operation of the gadgets will undergo user training organized by the parliament. Bagiire supported the organized training.“It makes no sense to give people iPads, yet some of them don’t know how to use them.”

The iPad project cost about $400,000. It however has cost uproar among some civil society groups, who argue that the members of the legislature earn high salaries and should be able to afford the gadgets on their own. Proponents of e-governance point out that for success and smooth implementation of the project, the state had to take a lead role and in the long run, it will minimize costs and increase efficiency.