The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Dr. Monica Musenero has met a group of over 40 Ugandan journalists under their umbrella body –the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) .
Dr. Musenero underscored the importance of media -as a key stakeholder in championing Uganda’s innovations especially E-mobility that is being spearheaded by the country’s automaker –Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC).
Musenero’s media stakeholder engagement took place at the near –ready Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant (KVP) in Jinja .
UPPA members at the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja – All images by Ronald Kabuubi
The meeting was attended by KMC Board Executive Chairman , Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa , CEO , Paul Isaac Musasizi , the STI Superintendent Value Chains Development, Dr. Cosmas Mukwirize and Bishop Joshua Lwere-who is the general overseer Association of Pentecostals and Evangelicals in Uganda among others.
The Minister told the UPPA members led by their President Sam Ibanda Mugabi that the STI Secretariat under President’s Office , will need all stakeholders including media to promote the country’s innovations.
This after President Yoweri Museveni ‘s State of the Nation address in which he rallied Ugandans to support local scientific innovations notably Kiira Motor’s E-mobility solutions for mass- transit operations in Uganda, EAC region and the African continent at large.
According to Dr. Musenero nations need STI to solve the problems of poverty and underdevelopment and its critical for Uganda -if it’s to meet the set target of USD 9,500 income per capita by 2040 .
KMC CEO Paul Isaac Musasizi briefing journalists about the set-up of the Kiira Vehicle Plant (KVP)
Dr. Musenero said the STI Secretariat under the President’s Office has set up a one-stop- center where the innovators can go to be helped on how they can scale up their innovations .
The Minister explained the STI idea to market journey -which involves the first phase of ideation , concept formation , proof of concept, testing and technical validation – a process which “may run many circles before getting a desirable output .”
The second phase, Dr. Musenero said , involves product development ,market research and analysis , corporate formation , business case , model and strategy development.
This stage of innovation development , she noted ,also caters for licensing and certification, technology transfer, team development and management ; supply chain development, value chain positioning and optimization.
And the third phase involves market expansion , product and process optimization, product diversification and scaling production, investor sounding and supply chain management . The fourth phase ,which is about competitiveness to maturity caters for mature products , market expansion , initial public offering , mergers and acquisitions and profitability.
Prof. Tickodri-Togboa making the case for a new practical oriented curriculum for Universities and other institutions of higher learning
Prof. Tickodri-Togboa while reflecting on the Kiira Motors experience called upon the innovators to be focused and patient as they polish up their innovations . He is that it has taken Kiira Motors Corporation over 14 years to have its innovations and products commercialized.
Prof. Tickodri-Togboa decried the kind of graduates produced by universities arguing that there is a mismatch between graduates and what the world requires.
He said that students should be taught more practical work than theories because the outside world needs innovative minds. He reiterated the need to upgrade the curriculum for Uganda’s institutions of higher learning to produce skilled and practical oriented graduates to create jobs and wealth.
