Other Innovations and products coming out of Uganda
what government is doing to support Ugandan innovators
After America’s giant- video streaming and sharing platform You Tube expunged a media content video about Ugandan Prof. Patrick Ogwang’s “magic” Covidex herbal medicine ,Ugandans have urged government to fast-track the commercialization of innovations and products made by Ugandan scientists . They also said Ugandan innovators should be protected from the global monopolies .
“This was expected since Covidex would take away so much in monetary terms from the greedy global pharmaceutical companies . The giant multi-million dollar pharmaceuticals will fight anything good coming out of Uganda and Africa but Prof Ogwang should go ahead with his research and produce medicines for our people ,” Peter Rusoke a social media enthusiast stated .
Rebecca Kagabane another of many Ugandans who took to social media to criticize the you Tube owners -lashed out at out at the American company for their purported “ colonial tendencies” and said they could as well “cut out” Uganda -on their online platforms if they cant tolerate innovations and discoveries from Uganda and Africa .
Luke Kigozi called upon government to offer protection to Uganda’s scientists and fast track their innovations and ensure that such innovations are commercialized to foster economic growth and national development .
President Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly stated that Uganda and Africa now have capacity to offer effective solutions to local problems . He said that after the developed world locked out the poor countries from accessing the Covid -19 vaccines -global supply chain , Uganda was ready to develop and produce its own medicines .
What government is doing to support innovations and Ugandan products
Early this year government selected 45 best innovators that will benefit from the UG.SHS 7.4BN innovation fund under the National ICT Initiatives Program (NIISP) also known as ICT Innovation Fund to support and develop a holistic ICT innovation ecosystem . Already there are a number of innovations that have been supported under this program.
These include the Academic Information Management System (AIMS) which is currently being implemented in all public universities and E-Procurement in government Ministries and Departments to curb corruption among others .
Officials at the ICT ministry explained that NIISP primarily aims at facilitating growth and development of indigenous software applications. Specifically, the program was designed to provide systematic and sustainable support to ICT innovators, to promote ICT products and services for improved service delivery as part of a wider digital ecosystem and to promote local electronics manufacturing and assembly.
At the Ministry of Science Techonology and Innovation (MoSTI),now led by new cabinet Minister Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, government has provided funds to help Ugandan scientists and innovators to actualize their innovations for the good benefit of Ugandans and the rest of the world.
Among ground breaking innovations being supported under the MoSTI -include home grown green mobility technologies championed by Uganda’s automotive industry leaders- Kiira Motors Corporation -who have produced the Kayoola fully electric buses. The buses are now offering shuttle services to the staff of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Government has heavily invested in the Kiira Vehicle Plant which is being constructed at the Jinja Industrial and Business Park . The Plant which is at 82% completion will have an initial capacity to produce 22 buses a day and 5,000 a year .
Already, Kiira Motors is preparing to produce 1,030 buses – 50 units of which will be electric for Tondeka BTC to be deployed for the Mass Transit Bus System Project in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area .
