The Records Insight

AUG 2018 | ISSUE 1 | VOL 1

KNOWLEDGE CUSTODIAN

THE FIRST ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER

2018

THE RECORDS INSIGHT

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD............................................................................................................................................................3 EDITORIAL TEAM.....................................................................................................................................................4 WORD FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE 3RD ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM............................5 THE 3RD ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM IN BRIEF..........................................................................6 MEET THE MAN WITH A PASSION FOR HIS PROFESSION......................................................................................8 AFRICAN PROVERBS.............................................................................................................................................11 THE 3rd ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM PANELISTS' PROFILES......................................................12 WHY INFORMATION IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN TRANSFORMATION PERFORMANCE........................................16 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 1ST ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM IN PICTURES...................................19 RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALISM DETERMINES THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANISATION.......................................................................................................................20 THE WORLD RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM.................................................................................................22 PREPARING RECORDS MANAGEMENT AS AN EQUAL PROFESSION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY..........................................................................................................................................23 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2ND ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM IN PICTURES.........................................25 WHY INFORMATION IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN TRANSFORMATION....................................................................26 THE SPORTS LENS...................................................................................................................................................29

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THE RECORDS INSIGHT

FOREWORD

I

am delighted to introduce to you the first edition of the Records Insight .The Records management profession is increasingly growing, many organizations are realizing the need to effectively manage their records.

The increased demand for public accountability, transparency has necessitated organizations to design systems to manage their records and employ professional records managers.

This therefore calls for a lot of Knowledge sharing amongst ourselves.

I am excited about this first edition of the Records Insight, the first of its kind. This is a platform for us to keep abreast with the latest trends in Records and Information management and we believe as Records and Information Management professionals we have a lot to share.

The Records Insight is an initiative out of the Annual Records Management Forums we have held over the past 3 years. One of the key recommendations was to publish an Annual Newsletter and dear friends-here it is!! There was a need to preserve and share experiences, and to build the Records Management profession.

We hope that you found the forum informative and worthwhile. The primary goal of this forum was to create and promote a collaboration between Information Managers and other stakeholders with an interest in promoting proper Records and Information management practices especially in the 21st century There is a lot of exciting information and thanks to you who all contributed to the newsletter.

Enjoy the read!

Teddy Latete Supervisor Records Management Uganda Revenue Authority

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EDITORIAL TEAM

Ms. Linda Namayanja Editor-in-chief

Ms. Teddy Latete Content Manager

Mr. Paulo Hyuha Editor

Mr. Kiiza Alexander Editing, Layout, Typesett & Writter

Contributors 1. Kato Franco - URA 2. Elias Mugambabye- COSEKE 3. Susan Busingye - UBOS 4. Paul Balisigara - URA 5. Kiiza Alexander - URA

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Mr. Trevor Manano Editor

THE RECORDS INSIGHT

WORD FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE 3rd ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM that the time we spent together with the participants was both productive and fun.

The previous forums mainly focused on Records management staff from different organizations who would meet& have discussions on issues that affect them in their work places. But this year it was thought best to widen our scope and involve the younger and upcoming professionals in the field. This year, the main focus was on students from universities and other learning institutions who aspire to become records/information professionals. The theme focused on empowering them with the information and knowledge they would need to become seasoned records and information managers after they leave school.

O

n the 31st of May 2018, we held the 3rd Annual Records Management Forum at Silver Springs in Kampala under the theme “Empowering the next Information Management Professionals”. The primary goal of this forum was to create and promote a collaboration between Information/Records Managers and other stakeholders with an interest in promoting proper Records and Information management practices especially in the 21st century. The forum attracted a large number of participants from different organizations and institutions Though the idea of conducting these annual forums generated from Uganda Revenue Authority, this year we had a number of partners namely COSEKE Uganda, Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Uganda(PPDA), Infectious Diseases Institute(IDI), Ministry of Education, Science, Technology& Sports, UMEME, Institute of Public Accountants of Uganda with whom we worked togetherto fund and organize averysuccessful forum.

To ensure successful execution of the forum this year, as Chairperson, I selected a very energetic and dynamic committee that worked tirelessly to make sure that the forum objectives were met and to also ensure

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This was done through the diverse and dynamic group of speakers and panelists who provided indepth insight, as well as, actionable and practical solutions to the different issues that we face in our day to day work as Records and Information managers.We received a lot of positive feedback from the participants and for all the suggestions that were given to make this platform even better in the future- we shall take heed to ensure that we serve you even better next year.

I take this opportunity,on behalf of the organizing committee, to thank all the participants who attended the forum this year, all our sponsors who funded the event, all the writers that sent in articles to this newsletter and all those who prayed to ensure that this year’s forum was a big success.

Finally, I will leave you with a quote from the famous Chinese cultural icon Bruce Lee.” If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life.

There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

As a Records / information manager, Reach beyond the sky!

Ms. Linda Namayanja - Officer URA

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THE 3RD RECORDS MANAGEME DATE

FORUM THEME

31ST MAY 2018

Empowering the next Information Management Professionals

TIME 7.30AM TO 5PM

PURPOSE

VENUE

Sharing knowledge and experiences in order to better the role of the Information/records

SILVER SPRINGS HOTEL

manager in the 21st century

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 142 PEOPLE

FORUM OBJECTIVES

TARGET GROUP 1. University Students namely; Makerere University, Soroti University, Kampala International University, Uganda Christian University, UMI 2. Top Organisations namely; COSEKE Uganda, Public Procurement Disposal of public Assets, Infectious Diseases Institute, Ministry of Education, Bank of Uganda, Stanbic Bank, CAA, Public Service, National Drug Authority, ICPAU, YMCA, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, UMEME, ECO BANK, Electoral Commission, UMEME, Uganda Communications Commission SOURCE OF FUNDING Main Funder-Uganda Revenue Authority In partnership with-Infectious Diseases Institute, ICPAU, Ministry of Education, Public Procurement Disposal of public Assets, UMEME & Uganda Communications Commission

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• Share expertise and knowledge of Information/Records Management professionals of the 21st century • To apply the theoretical Information/Records management knowledge into the practical world • Provide advice and support from key stakeholder groups on employability and career development in the Information/ Records Management field MODE OF THE FORUM Panel Session with 4 panellists namely; 1. Mr Franco Kato 2. Ms Bernadette Ateme 3. Mr. Emmanuel Ntungura 4 Mr.Muinda Patrick Discussion groups- The audience was divided into 8 Groups which were required to create a group name and tag line. Each group was given question to discuss and present.

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ANNUAL ENT FORUM IN BRIEF. GROUP No NAME 1 The Pioneers 2

3

The Eagle Team

Destiny

TAG LINE Trend Setters

DISCUSSION QUESTION NO. Discuss the trends in Records Man-

Soaring Higher and

agement Discuss the Entrepreneurship Oppor-

Higher

tunities in Records, Information and

Taking Control

Archives Management What can be done to improve Records Management as a profession and the image portrayed

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The Rabbits

Great Thinkers

What can be done to improve Records Management as a profession and the

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The Super Lions The Champions

Owinyo

image portrayed Discuss the Hard and Soft Skills in

Always Winners

Records Management Discuss the Hard and Soft Skills in Records Management

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The Cranes

Nyonyi Muzinge

Discuss the Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Records, Information and

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The Lions

The Kings

Archives Management Discuss the trends in Records Management

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MEET THE MAN WITH A PASSION FOR HIS PROFESSION INTERVIEW

I love to keep abreast with current trends especially in Information Management because of the nature of the information business which is rapidly progressing. This has helped me remain relevant to my employers

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1. PLEASE TELL THE READER BRIEFLY ABOUT YOURSELF? My name is Kato Franco and I currently work with URA, as a supervisor in the Records and Registries office for close to 9 years. I have a bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Sciences from Makerere University, a post Graduate diploma in Information Systems from UMI and an MBA from Makerere University.

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2. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CAREER OBJECTIVES AND WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS? I have done a couple of consultancies for instance I have worked with Parliament of Uganda in reviewing their Records and Information Management Policy and streamlining their Records Management Processes among others.

Concerning the objectives,I would love to become a highly sought after Records and Information Management Consultant not only in Uganda but across Africa and beyond basically to help organizations leverage information for maximum value, utilizing the Information resource as an asset.

3. WHAT WAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE FORUM WHAT WAS YOUR DESIGNATION? Besides my role as a Panelist in this forum, I was involved in the forum planning process and mainly as an adviser of sorts.

4.

IN COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS FORUMS, HOW DO YOU THINK THIS ONE PERFORMED? (ON A SCALE OF 1-10)

On a scale of 1-10, I will give this forum an 8 because it was executed better than the previous ones which I would give a 6 on the same scale.

5. WHAT WORD OF ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT FORUM ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE AND EVEN TO BE MORE SPECIFIC A FUTURE PANELIST? To the Panelists, I will advise on preparation, adequate preparation in advance so that the audience benefits from their knowledge, nothing beats proper preparation. While to the committee, the same applies, adequate preparation and teamwork are essential and key to proper execution.

6. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? I am actively involved in a project of implementing the ERP. This is an acronym for Enterprise Resource Planning which is basically an Information Technology system with different applications for automation of different business functions 2018

and processes for instance Human Resource and Finance. Its purpose is to automate and have one platform for the different business processes within the Corporate Services Department in URA. Senior management saw it appropriate to have one solution instead of having the stand alone systems.

7. WHAT BENEFITS WILL ERP YIELD? With ERP,Hopefully we shall do away with a larger percentage of the paper intensive processes that shall be replaced with automated systems in a bid to keep up with the times and also have an environmentally friendly system. This will also ensure efficiency in turnaround time coupled with the reduced cost of doing business hence increasing productivity 8. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT TECHNOLOGICAL PHOBIA AND FEAR OF AUTOMATION AMONG RECORDS MANAGEMENT PRACTITIONERS? Automation is supposed to improve processes and systems and as much as the world goes paperless and electronic, the same principles within records and information management still apply. For instance, indexing, classification, retention and creation. I believe automation will make it better and easier providing value addition to Information management and as such there is no need to be worried.

9. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE PAPER VS PAPERLESS OFFICE DEBATE THAT MANIFESTED AT THIS YEAR’S FORUM? The era of a paperless office is still far from realization especially in Uganda and most third world countries. Although electronic systems are becoming more available, there is still that back and forth between electronic and manual (paper based systems). Most records start out on a computer, then paper and then digitization which reverts it again so you can still see the back and forth. Automation will reduce the paper, I believe it can and will happen, though not now.

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10.

CONSIDERING THIS YEAR’S THEME, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS (SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, UNDERGRADUATES AND NEW EMPLOYEES)?

There is no silver bullet when it comes to records management. They should endeavor to understand the circumstances in which their organization operates, know the processes and information flow channels and be flexible.

I always advise that a good records manager is one who knows something about everything, they should have passion for what they do and pick interest in the various processes that generate records within their organization.

During the forum, the Commissioner Corporate Services URA mentioned the low interaction between senior Management and records managers, in that respect, they should endeavor to interest their senior management in Records Management Initiatives and come up with records management programs for high level plans to improve records management in the organization which should have tangible and achievable milestones for progress management.

12. WHAT DO YOU ENVISION FOR THE FUTURE OFFICE? (For Example 2070) Wow, that’s a hard one, the world is constantly changing and what you imagined impossible yesterday is a possibility today especially with the emergence of new technologies. It is really hard to envision, many did not envision social media and records being created with such ease as is today.

I however imagine a highly automated future where the collaboration between Information Technology and Records will take center stage 13.

LASTLY, WHAT MAKES YOU, AS A RECORDS MANAGER, TICK?

I love to keep abreast with current trends especially in Information Management because of the nature of the information business which is rapidly progressing. This has helped me remain relevant to my employers and generally in the field of my profession. Majorly, because I am ably informed therefore I have many new ideas that I always bring to the table which promote the records management function in the organization.

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WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR INFORMATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HOW DO YOU THINK ONE SHOULD GO ABOUT IT? The demand for Records and Information management is still high and there are various opportunities out there. I would advise doing market research to find out what services are required and what the demand is out there, create a niche and provide the services. Also, because of the job scarcity, I would advise creation of a consultancy in line with what you studied in the University and the demand survey done

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AFRICAN PROVERBS

1. When you see a rat

the floor

running into fire then you know that what it is running away from is hotter than the fire eggs should not start a fight in the market

8. A baby on its mother's

man who offers you

back does not know

clothes

the way is long on dry leaves, don’t

the wind will teach it

ever dance near the

must also accept the

offered a chair when you are visiting a place where the chief sits on

9. When you are putting

know how to dance, 6. Those who want rain

3. Do not expect to be

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4. Beware of the naked

5. If a tree does not

2. A person who sells

pure heart

mud.

7. A set of white teeth

fire 10. Whether a monkey is sad or smiling, its image doesn’t change

does not indicate a

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THE 3rd ANNU

MANAGEMENT FORUM MODERATOR Name: Ssekitto Francis Current Employer: Makerere University Position: Lecturer Experience: 10 years Qualifications: PHD (MUK); MIT (University of Pretoria); BLIS (MUK, First Class)

HUMAN RESOURCE PERSONNEL Name: Ateme Bernadette Current Employer: Civil Aviation Authority Position: Head of Registry Section Experience: 12 years Qualifications: Masters in International Human Resources Management (University of East London); BLIS (MUK)

STUDENT Name: Ntungura Emmanuel Position: Student(Bachelors of Records & Archives Management) Internship: Parliament of Uganda Responsibilities held: College Speaker(MUK); College EC Chairperson(MUK); College Rep. Council Speaker(MUK)

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UAL RECORDS

M PANELISTS' PROFILES IT PERSONNEL Name: Patrick Muyinda Position: Assistant Commissioner Information Technology and Records Current Employer:Ministry of Education & Sports Qualifications:Masters of Computer Science,Dip.Electrical Engineering,BLIS,Microsoft Certfied Professional-Client Sytem,Server Systems,Security&Infrastructure

RECORDS MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL Name: Franco Kato Current Employer: Uganda Revenue Authority Position: Supervisor Records Management & ERP Functional Lead Experience: 10 years of Experience in Records and Information Management work Qualifications: MBA (MUK); PGD ISM (UMI, First Class); BLIS (MUK, First Class)

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THE 3RD ANNUAL RECORDS MAN

Commissioner Rusoke Herbert & Assistant CommisRecords Staff from URA

sioner Richard Kariisa (URA) in a discussion

Mr.Kaboha from URA giving his submission during a

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session

Registration of participants

Registration Desk

Panelists

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NAGEMENT FORUM IN PICTURES

Mr.Stephen Mpanga from Stanbic Bank giving his Participants during group discussions

submission during the discussions

Icebreaker

Panel Session

Tea Break

Cake Cutting

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WHY INFORMATION IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN TRANSFORMATION PERFORMANCE Regardless of industry/sector, information is needed by government and regulatory bodies, customers, strategic partners, suppliers, financiers, investors, management and employees. How an Organization manages its information assets is now just as fundamental a source of excellent performance as how it manages its physical, human, and financial assets.

But if information is that important, why then are many Organizations still drowning in a flood of unmanaged content and information chaos? This is where industry experts like COSEKE can help.

With 27 years’ experience in providing Intelligent Information Management Solutions, many Organizations in the East African region have partnered with COSEKE, to address their information management But what exactly is Information Chaos? You might be wondering! Here is what we mean. Today, managing business-critical information is more complex than ever. Content and information are growing at breakneck speed in an ever-changing array of formats.

ELIAS BAGAMBAGYE Business Executive COSEKE

T

he game has changed. Information is the world’s new currency. Individuals and Organizations alike, use information to make critical business decisions. If our information is accurate, we have a high probability of making a good decision. Conversely, if our information is inaccurate, our ability to make a correct decision is diminished. In other words, better information leads to better decisions, and better decisions lead to better performance.

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Paper documents/records are heaping up and there are vast amounts of digital information coming to us every day―images, e-mails, video/ audio, texts, podcasts, voicemails, tweets, Facebook posts, web analytics. As if that is not enough, these come from multiple sources including but not limited to: shared drives, SharePoint, Customer care/call centers, file sharing services and social media channels, CRM, ERP, DMS, online, offline, and more.

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But where is the chaos, so you ask? Okay, consider this situation. Users putting their stuff wherever they like: the ‘C’ drive of their laptop, flash drives, Dropbox, Facebook, shared folders, lockers, cabinets, etc. A worker can create a folder anywhere, give it any name, and save files in any format and with any name. So, no one knows where to look for things, and people mostly share files with colleagues using flash drives or email attachments―leading to slow and costly business processes, increased risk of information leakages, massive duplication, loss of version control, and excessive network traffic.

The result? Information silos continue to develop, servers multiply and overflow with data, making it even harder to find anything; collaboration becomes insecure, compliance issues arise, employee productivity and service delivery suffer, leading to loss of competitive advantage.

In summary, the problem lies in the fact that, the amount of data is exploding, and everywhere; yet difficult to convert into usable information for some business outcome/goal, let alone accessing it when you need it. We could as well say that your Organization is on ‘DRIP’; which is an appropriate acronym for “Data Rich,

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Information Poor” ailment. That is to say; activity slows to a small drip as you try to sift through mountains of data. In short, today’s Organization information environment is chaotic, complicated and everywhere you turn, many are struggling with Information Chaos. So what is the Solution?

That the amount of data is growing exponentially is inevitable; and the trend will definitely continue for as long as your Organization exists.

What is important is figuring out how this can be addressed. The Solution to this is ensuring that: (1) You are collecting and storing the right data―what is required to drive Organizational goals and meet objectives, compliance and risk/ liability, (2) The data can be converted into usable and relevant information, and (3) The information is easily retrieved and understood. All you need to achieve this; is having the right information management tools and technologies.

Now imagine for a moment that it didn’t matter where records, data and information were stored; or which system managed them? What if it was possible to enable departments and small workgroups to enrich and repurpose information to support new initiatives for specific Organizational needs, such as in operations, legal, accounting, marketing and human resources, without disrupting existing systems and processes?

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What if you didn’t even have to migrate anything, or you could migrate when you choose?

Well, with COSEKE’S Intelligent Information Management Solutions, all the above is possible, and information management has never been better. Intelligent information management is easy, dynamic and smart, and COSEKE together with its partners are leading the way! Whether your information is on paper, computers, the web or any other format, we can help you get more value out of it by adding some order to it Whether it is Training, Consultancy, Industry Best Practices, Sourcing for or Implementing an Information Management System, we have you covered. Yes, small or big; Business, Government or Not-for profit Organization; we can help you address your information management challenges at a budget that gives you a good Return on Investment. Sounds interesting?

Contact us on the addresses below and learn more about how we can help.

UGANDA Social Security House, 3rd Floor, Plot 4 Jinja RoadP.O. Box 37849, Kampala Tel: +256 414 340 282/3 Fax: +256 414 340 284 Email: sales.ug@coseke.com KENYA ACK Garden House, 1st Floor, Ngong Avenue, P.O. Box 1208-00606, Nairobi Tel: +254 202 730 142/4 +254 202 730 145 Email: sales.ke@coseke.com

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TANZANIA Benjamin W Mkapa Tower, 6th Floor, Azikwe/Jamhuri Street P.O. Box 76413, Da-es-salaam Tel: +255 222 200 048/49/50 Fax: +255 222 200 051 Email: sales.tz@coseke.com RWANDA Avenue De La Paix, Centenary House, 6th Floor P.O. Box 5755, Kigali, Rwanda Tel: +250 252 571690 Fax: +250 252 571690 Email: sales.rw@coseke.com

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 1ST ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM IN PICTURES

Participants

Assistant Commissioner Admininistration Mr.Kariisa Richard(URA ) addressing particpants

Mr Ekwaro (MUK) during his presentation

Registration of participants

Assistant Commissioner Public Service Ms. Ariso Awarding of certificates

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RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALISM DETERMINES THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANISATION

I

n the context of conducting any business operation or even other government and nongovernmental bodies' operations, records have always been the immediate reference during the management of any activity, at times records have been acting as the guide towards the clear direction of the organization.

However, some achievements would not be attained in the long run process, until recently when some agencies and other government organs understood the sensitivity within inadequate professionalism at work places, most especially in the daily records management Nowadays, most universities have resorted to introducing new courses; diploma and bachelors’ degree in records and archives management Universities like Makerere, Uganda Christian University, and Uganda Management Institute boost to be the pillar of other business activities.

Emmanuel Ntungura - BRAM Student Makere University

Professional courses are established to equip students with best practices of records management applied in most successful worldwide organizations as well as making some bodies competitive in global production.

They contain knowledge of handling records and changing them onto different formats both manually and electronically thus quickening the rate of retrieval and access by users.

This clearly cites the difference between understanding and the management of records according to other people’s perceptions towards records management as all.

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Thus the need to consider records management profession for better success of any business.

Records are also basic tools of government administration.

The need to invest in professionalism during the management of any records (both paper and electronic), provides accurate and timely information needed for proper planning and decision making, they form the foundation for government accountability, and are often. subject to specific legal requirements.

Records are essential for effective and efficient administration, but if poorly managed they can become a liability, hampering operations and draining resources Consequently, records management professionalism helps reduce costs and the risks that can come with poorly managed record keeping.

In conclusion, I urge the population to understand that the world has gone into modernity where technology is trying to lead other systems.

The opportunities afforded by technology to support records management are growing rapidly, by statistical analysis; Organizationsworldwide create, retain, and preserve records so that they can be used.

If a user cannot locate a document, it might as well not exist. As such, an effective records management program should be in place.

Systems manual or automated that can locate and retrieve records in a reliable and timely fashion to meet the needs of users thus the need to consider records management professionalism during selection and employment of records manager

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Today's Quote

My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.

INDIRA GANDHI Prime Minister of India

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THE WORLD RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM

By Teddy Latete-a member of the association

A

records management body /association called World Records Management Forum is in existance. It was formed by volunteers from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA),Civial Aviation Authority (CAA), Bank Of Uganda (BOU) and Uganda Bureau of Statistics (URSB) in 2017 and it is fully registered with URSB.Currently its being run by an interim committee from the different organizations.

The main purpose of this body is to create a platform where all records management professionals can share knowledge and experiences and do peer reviews among many other activities.

Corporate membership has been set at 2,000,000shs. Individual membership is at UGX 200,000/= This is a call for each of us to register with the association.

The secretary shall be sharing the various programs lined up by the body.

For further details and registration contact Gertrude Nanozi at 0772140103, email;gnanozi@ura.go.ug

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PREPARING RECORDS MANAGEMENT AS AN EQUAL PROFESSION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY And how can we achieve this: 1. First, let us love our profession and the work involved before we see it as a job or a source of income. Let us show passion for our work even from afar, Lets always be smart, smile while on job and respect our clients regardless of whom they are and where they come from.

2. Secondly, let us join arms to support the annual records forum and this will be our platform to make our profession known countrywide. Let’s publicize, arrange frequent meetings and trainings 3. Thirdly, Innovations: We are gifted and we can create and initiate ideas to build and develop our profession we only need to come together and share, discuss ideas.

R

Busingye Susan Rizah Uganda Bureau of statistics

ecords management as a profession is still lacking respect from the public and the people in higher positions. Their mind set is that records officers only receive, file documents, deliver mail which is not true.

We are the information managers, determiners and custodians, this is enough for people to respect our profession and accord us due respect.

It is in this regard that I call upon all records managers and officers to wake up, embrace, love, attract the youth to our profession, and let it be among the best courses in Uganda and the world at large. Let us inspire them to be great records officers and managers

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4. Lastly but not the least, Not forgetting the obvious, going digital is the way to go, let’s equip ourselves to be Information Technology compliant, because without IT, we shall not move forward There is a lot we can do, when I look into the future, I can see many developments in records management, Let us be the people to spearhead these developments. More and more records are being created each day and this means more work, more employment opportunities and more innovations.

Let us not keep ideas to ourselves let us share them, let us not be like the farmer who sowed his seeds on barren land, we are better than that!

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TODAY’S FARETALE

By Paul Balisigara

A

leopard once visited a dog and asked, do you have children? A dog looked at the face of a leopard and replied No.

Then the leopard forged a story and told it to the host dog.

Once upon a time, there was an aged man in the village who reared barren dogs, time came and he wanted to take them to the market. The man had heard that, in the market, there was a certain company which had ran an advert calling upon whoever owned dogs with puppies. The advert spelt out that whoever had dogs which had a

puppy would get fifty cows as a reward for each puppy. Because the man had infertile dogs, he decided to kill all of them. But before killing them, he put each of his dog to task, he asked the dogs that never wanted to die to be on one side and those that were ready to sacrifice themselves to be on another side, all dogs remained on no side.

The owner of the dogs picked all of the dogs and took them to the abattoir and their life ended.

Moral of the story: When your enemy visits you, your excuses do not matter at all. Whether you choose or fail to choose, your fate doesn’t change.

SOKIZA GENERAL ENTERPRISES LTD (SGEL) We off the following: Website development & Design, social media managers, project proposal writing, Digital Publishing, Records management consultancy, Real estate, Motivational Speaking, French Language Training, Agribusiness and Financial literacy, CONTACT US Business Executive on Mobile +256 775418668/WhatsApp: +256 702945105 Email: kiiza22@hotmail.com

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THE RECORDS INSIGHT

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2ND ANNUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT FORUM IN PICTURES

Participants

Tentative committiee of the World Records Management Association

Registration Team 2018

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WHY INFORMATION IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN TRANSFORMATION To understand the world around us, we need information and to be aware of our own selves we need it too. In Uganda, just like in many other African countries, information has not yet occupied its rightful space.

In context, information should have been at the centre stage of any country’s business. However, at the forefront, many leaders reason that change happens regardless of whether information is available or not. On the surface, this fact seems to hold however when you make acute analysis you discover out that such change is of short term nature.

Information is important for daily life. Regarding this basic fact, Its therefore concerned with the past, present and the future of everyone (individual or organisation).

Mr. Paul Balisigara -Officer URA

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In this respect, the concern is on why it has not been given its fair position in the development arena.

The question remains; is there any way, we can explore and discuss the role and impact created when people have adequate and quality information vis-Ă -vis absence of it?

The key focus to many organisations should be on information management, preservation, distribution and use. Given that technology has been embraced to support information management, there is high need for organisations to redirect efforts on ensuring that information is used. For the benefit of readers of this article, information use is emphasized and not overstated.

The significance of information in relation to the role it plays in economic transformation is always unrecognized.

Whereas human knowledge and wisdom has overtime changed, the role played by information has remained invisible to many. It is therefore imperative and desirable that organisations refocus their attention to the role played through the creation of new knowledge and its utilization.

Globally, for any meaningful change to happen, the citizens must be fully informed.

To move forward, there is need for a deliberate strategy to ensure that the already organized information is properly put into use. Information has far reaching advantages that is to say it empowers, enlightens, educates, awakens, inspires and provides courage for people to explore and debate what is abstract in nature.

Given the positive contributions of information outlined above, there is high need for all people to interact and associate regularly with sources of information and befriend information resources with an aim of benefiting from new information.

Much support is therefore required to boost the sectors responsible with creation, management and dissemination of information for the benefit of societies.

All said and done, information access and dissemination should be considered as one high level priority in every country for the betterment of citizens and for the good of the communities.

Depending on the levels of knowledge people have, if they are informed, they can influence and or expedite change at different levels be it local, regional or international.

In the new world order, the role of information in society and its development should be given its space. Information is one key aspect in the development paradigm that needs emphasis.

Many of the incredible developments happen because people have necessary information that enables them to plan, decide, manage, strategise and make use of available resources in doing their work.

As envisaged, we can always walk far if we are informed and we can also move in the right paths of wisdom if we seek to understand more.

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Wisdom is increased overtime and everyone is by default a life-long learner. A growing society must have people who are informed and care to search for more knowledge, information and wisdom.

From the information management view point, national success is visible when citizens have abilities of differentiating what is good from what is bad. This is purely attainable when majority of the people are having access to valuable, adequate, up-to-date and relevant information.

The means through which people have access to the information they need may be a technologysolution question. Consequently, whether people are accessing information through social media, newspapers, internet, televisions, telephones or word of mouth, the value is derived only from authentic and credible information.

Countries, organisations and individuals can meaningfully change for better if they have the right information at the right time. The ways through which people access information may not be an issue for now but the content and substance in the information they access.

Government Institutions; Uganda Revenue Authority, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda National Roads Authority, Bank of Uganda, most ministries and many other corporate bodies have gone ahead to invest in building facilities that could act as conducive points of access to information.

They have set up registries, record centres, resource rooms, libraries, archives and museums with the goal of ensuring that information reaches the people who need it. This is being done so as to position it as a useful resource in guiding the planning and implementation of activities of organisations.

In the long run, the proper management and use of information will ensure continuity and progress of organisations. In the changing business environment, information management practices must also change to widely enable quick access and use of information.

In the due course, there are cross cutting advantages realized while using information. The impact of using information will be reflected in

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the present and future citizens of the developing world. As a matter of fact, continuous efforts have to be put on identifying right information sources and resources, gathering the resources and putting them in one access location but ensuring that the medium of storage does enhance quick access to information.

The existing challenge of low utilization of the available information is; limited access to information centres, low rate of internet penetration, technology adoption, awareness challenges, poor reading culture among many other reasons. These challenges could be deliberately dealt with if thorough diagnosis is made.

It is well understood that if information is properly kept or organised but not put to use, then the ultimate intention of enhancing the business processes and operations of organisations is lost.

As more efforts are directed towards selecting, acquiring, processing, storing and disseminating appropriate information for the populace using both online and offline instruments, there is still a lot desired of the leaders, authorities and citizens themselves to make meaning out of what is kept.

For any country to achieve a desirable economic status, there is need to have most of its citizens if not all largely informed. This can be done by enhancing access to information.

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Information will always connect people and nations. If well packaged and used, organisations, nations and individuals could best explore beyond the horizons of their solar planet.

When one has information, he or she cannot be controlled by beliefs, myths, fears, perceptions and imaginations or assumptions.

This will help one to live a life full of good meaning.

We can improve the quality of life of the people through extensive information dissemination, sharing and use.

We all have the duty to search for, crave for and use the information available everywhere, anywhere and elsewhere. We should therefore use information to reinforce our decision making and exploit the benefits that come with it.

Information certainly has great power to deliver the change we all need.

THE RECORDS INSIGHT

THE SPORTS LENS PULLING THE CROATIAN GROOVE!

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s the world cup started in Russia, most of us who are not fanatics of football remained at home not bothered by the fuss.

In fact, I was comfortable that since Brazil is among the teams participating, the results were obvious. I took some precious time to watch almost all African teams play, bouy, these teams went together and came back together!

In my mind, I thought that since Egypt had the “balls” to oust Uganda cranes out of the tournament it had the spirit to maintain the grip past the group stages!

You shall remember that in 2002 Senegal made it to quarter finals, this vigor was not reflected in Russia, it only remained in Japan!

Tunisia much known for the start of the political Arab spring, ousted their long time president from power, the incidence did not only stop in Tunisia but crossed up to Libyan Gadhafi!

Would they have made the same in Football?

Not forgetting America “the great”, the Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again”only ended in his mouth that the mighty team, which boasts, of almost of anything great, branding herself as the mightiest of all nations on the global, was in fact eliminated by a little known country called PANAMA.

Mr. Alex Kiiza- URA

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THE RECORDS INSIGHT

Before the world cup, I had not known or heard of a country known

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as Croatia, It is a country with a population equaling the number of people that flock our beautiful Kampala city every morning a whopping 4.171 million! In fact, in simple terms we can say Croatia makes approximately 1.02% of Uganda’s population During the football all the way from group levels, Croatia was taken as an underdog, it was surely not thought about! I can tell you, no one expected the underdog Croatia to move past the group stage We witnessed this as Croatia disciplined the so called Great Britain (millennials read England) and making it to the finals to play France! The spirited fight that Croatia gave to France live alone Croatia losing, it made a statement, in short, you can come from being an underdog to almost a champion, Croatia took home position number two of the world’s most watched tournament It is with small efforts that Croatia insisted on what they were doing, they did all their best, they did not bask in self-pity of being a small country with little population, and they moved to glory and celebrated! In fact, their president remained a praise of almost all tweets on that day!

The many years lost in battle as records professionals, we are not being recognized because we are at the end of business, this shouldn’t be a reason for us to bask in self-pity, it should be a call for to show the world how valued we are and what we preserve!

no one ever knew that there shall be need for records maintenance, that is obliging government parastatals, financial institutions to employ records management professionals You still remember at university how students from other courses would ridicule us, calling us names like what expected and football analysts were calling the Croatian team underdogs, we were called watchdogs over books, librarians, etc. that time gonna be history if we decide to let the world know our value I remember during our days, if you were a BLIS student, you “could not talk”, today librarian at schools are considered as support staff, being undermined by Grade V teachers who are moreover not graduates but because they are ignorant of the value of information materials The ball of letting the world know what we are is in our hands, I have seen it at my place of work our section being a center of outsourcing by other sections and projects, who else can be knowledgeable other than a custodian of knowledge?

It is easy, take it to the world cup of professionals and give them a treat like Croatia did to England, we can do it to Information Technology and also carry on to France which is the only standing pride in the world, Medicine and Law! Visit my Blog for more of my articles www.kiiza22. wordpress.com

We must move forward to tell the world our story, we can be the Croatia next to Technology since it is the monster threatening our existence,

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THE RECORDS INSIGHT

ULIA Secretariat Email: secretariat@ulia.org.ug http: www.ulia.org.ug

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