It was such and more questions and experiences that formed the bigger part of the meet-up held by web developers in Uganda. Web development is a recent venture in Uganda with barely two decades old. A few years back, Information Technology, IT, was the in thing. It was one of the desired courses that walked in with the millennium. Today, anyone with interest can be a web developer even a passionate student in school. This free exit and entry without regulation has left the web developers wiping sweat along with tears.
The influencers, who happen to be a handful, have become more of monopolists that emerging developers find it pretty hard to execute new trends. But behold and lo, this may come to an end. Fred Abunyang is the CEO of Webstar Uganda and also the chair of the Uganda Joomla Community together with a group of other developers is looking towards establishing the Uganda Web Developers Association. This will be a regulator of all the web practioners in the country.
Speaking at the launch which was held at Haruna Mall, Ntinda, Fred said this is the time for all the developers to claim their space and professionalize their business.
“If taxi drivers and bodaboda riders can afford to have an association, what about us the web developers?” he asked.
The field of web development is mired with a lot of challenges. There are a lot of quack developers who have ruined the work for other developers. The lack of a coordinated ethical conduct among the web developers has resulted in to their mistrust. Today, a number of companies and institutions seek professional help from the developers in South Africa, India and Europe. On the other hand, no one is standing up to protect the web developers who are cheated by their clients. No one recognizes the great work that some developers are doing just as none is giving guidance.
The lack of formidable content creators is the root for all the hacking there is with the websites. There are a number of cases in court out of this, something that could have been easily solved. With the creation of the Uganda Web Developers Association, the public shall be given a chance to be educated about the web. Many people do not understand it. There needs to be a place where clients consult about the web. The same place shall be a reference point for opportunities for the same.
The group looks forward to meeting every month until the association is put in place.
