President Yoweri Museveni has warned Ugandans and Africans in general against accepting aid which sometimes is intended to stunt the recipient so that they remain dependent on outsiders who are bent on taking away their raw materials on the cheap.
The president sounded the caution during the country’s 61st Independence anniversary celebrations in Kitgum, after launching ‘Bingwa’, a revolutionary three-wheel vehicle that that has been designed and built wholly by Ugandan youth who missed out on formal education.
Using words from different local languages for crippling, President Museveni explained to the cheering audience that just like parents will let their crawling baby fall several times in its attempt to learn to walk, Ugandans should be prepared for some sacrifices if they are to develop capacity to process their raw materials rather than never learning to do it for themselves. He commended the Bingwa initiative whose components are sourced from local suppliers.
Kevoton leader Rogers Mubiru explains to President Museveni the multiple functionalities of this wonder Ugandan Bingwa trike
The Bingwa trike can move a load of 1,000 kgs on rough terrain using only one litre of diesel, generate enough electricity to power machinery like small grain mills or homesteads and can also pump 6,000 litres of water to irrigate an acre of farmland, using one litre of fuel.
KMC led by Prof. Tickodri incubated the Kevoton traditional informal innovators to add value to their locally made engine
The entire Bingwa three-in-one composite costs only sh28 million, and its lead designer, Rogers Mubiru, reported to the president that some orders for some one hundred units have been placed at the just concluded Lugogo Uganda Manufacturers Association show where the Bingwa has been on exhibition. Mubiru said that 55% percent of the components are fabricated by local manpower and 100% of the brain input is Ugandan. Even whatever is made outside is sourced from the local market.
Mubiriutaking the limelight at Uganda ‘s 61st Independence anniversary celebrations in Kitgum
President Museveni sought a clearer explanation of how the Bingwa was conceived and went through the stages to final production, from Kiira Motors Corporation engineers who have taken Mubiru’s less schooled team through incubation. The KMC team explained the mentorship process that took the unschooled but innovative youth through basic literacy, numeracy, communication, scientific principles, methodology and finally turned them into computer based technical designers.
KMC’s CEO Engineer Paul Musasizi explained that the innovation will enable rural farming households to move their produce cheaply, add value to farm produce through primary processing in addition to getting more reliable, regular yields by using irrigation.
President Museveni summoned the STI and KMC scientists to inform and educate Ugandans how the youthful innovators in the informal sector can be brought into the money economy and transform Uganda
The president welcomed the diplomats from different foreign missions who travelled to Kitgum to join Ugandans in the Independence celebrations. In particular, he singled out the delegation from the United Arab Emirates and thanked their country for respecting Ugandans and dealing with the country without trying to impose habits like homosexuality.
