The Faculty has been very pleased this year to welcome our 4th annual KAS-iNtaka Postgraduate Scholar in Law & Technology, Olga Karungi.

Born and raised in Uganda, Olga comes to her Master’s in Law at UCT with a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University. An advocate of the courts of judicature in Uganda and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Olga already has four years’ experience in commercial law litigation and advisory, with a specific interest in law and technology.

We asked Olga a few questions about her understanding of the links between law and technology.

What you are doing your Master’s in, and how do you understand the connection with law & technology?

I am pursuing an LLM in Intellectual Property Law. In my view law, technology and intellectual property meet at the intersection of innovation. Technology provides the tools for innovation, intellectual property the incentives and law ensures cohesion in the triad. Because technology often outpaces legal reform, there is a constant pressure to ensure laws stay relevant and equipped to regulate new and emerging technologies, practices and their related issues. This challenge is particularly apparent in intellectual property, a field that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping.

Explain a bit about your interest in the intersection between law & technology?

Technology is completely reformulating how we live, work, and relate to one another. The rise in digital platform work raises questions regarding equitable value distribution - and as data becomes more coveted, new questions about privacy and governance arise. We are living in a time where AI has disrupted the status quo so much so that an evaluation of the future of work is urgent. The more digital and connected our world becomes, the greater the stake we all have in these issues.

Both law and technology are engines for change, but law carries an added obligation to provide the guardrails. The questions that continue to emerge as technology advances reveal that simply extending existing frameworks may be insufficient. From an African perspective, I am interested in how we navigate this uncertainty. How do we foster the opportunities that technology presents for economic growth and inclusion with legal frameworks that reflect our unique contexts and values? I am interested in contributing towards crafting pragmatic legal approaches that not only ease these rising tensions but also position the continent as an active and credible voice in how the world responds to what is happening.

How do you expect the KAS-iNtaka scholarship to benefit you during 2026? And what do you think you can contribute?

Beyond the much-needed financial support from the scholarship, joining both the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and iNtaka networks is a real opportunity to make meaningful connections and participate in transformative work in law, technology and democracy. KAS provides a platform to engage in civic education and contribute to meaningful dialogue on democracy and the forces that shape it. At iNtaka, I am able to translate learning into real-life application. Each is driving purposeful efforts to shape policy and culture, while opening doors for active participation and contribution.

I hope to bring insightful perspectives to discussions at the heart of both KAS and iNtaka’s work in South Africa based on my experience in East Africa.

What are your longer term plans after you have achieved your LLM, and what do you hope to achieve with your professional career in Law?

I intend to develop a specialised practice at the technology-IP intersection and contribute meaningfully to regional IP harmonisation across Africa, establishing resilient frameworks that facilitate cross-border innovation and the protection of IP rights. I hope to leverage my legal career to support regional economic development and empowerment. With regard to the new technological dispensation, I hope to provide an active voice in addressing the challenges and opportunities that the will increasingly be part of this field of innovation and practice.