Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Elioda Tumwesigye in a cabinet presentation on Monday revealed that more than 1,000 applicants in 2020 responded to the ministry’s annual call for innovative ideas that aims at targeting new innovations that are viable for commercialization.
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOSTI) was established in June of 2016, and was subsequently equipped with an annual Innovation Fund of UGX 50 billion to facilitate the country’s freshest innovations. The government has been reliably allocating this sum to the ministry each year. MOSTI has since 2016 been appealing to Uganda’s innovators to pitch their ideas for potential funding.
As a result, the Technology ministry has facilitated many promising scientists through the Innovation Fund and enabled them to enhance their products, as a result 1,000 pumps have been produced with government support which have been sold to fellow Ugandans.
Funding for the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation skills enhancement project secured and implementation began. The Ministry has created avenues for collaboration with various Universities to establish Regional Science and Technology Parks.
MOSTI in close partnership with various stakeholders has worked to define the National Science Technology and Innovation Ecosystem and achieved the following;
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- In the process of establishing the Governance Boards for Kiira Motors Corporation, Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre as well as rationalizing the functions of Uganda National Council for Science and Technology to enable these Key Institutions to deliver efficiently on their Mandates.
- Reviewed the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy with Support from UNCTAD and developed the Sector Medium Term Development Plan with Support from USAID Increased application of STI in National program
MOSTI, has in a consultative process, developed the National Research and Innovation Program (NRIP) Framework which was approved by Cabinet in March 2019 under Minute 101 CT 2019 with the following achievements;
- The Ministry has been able to support UIRI, Eshaande, Omuhoko, Oluwoko, makpads, solar pump, tear gas, fresh vacuum sealed banana, wines, AFRISA SPEDA Innovation and Shoe making, as well as cassava value addition projects among many others through the Research and Innovation Fund. These have shown great potential to create jobs, solve pressing societal challenges and contribute to Government’s import substitution efforts.
- The Ministry is currently in the process of supporting scientists to develop diagnostic test kits, vaccines, medicines & other products to fight COVID-19 & other diseases
- In the operationalisation of the Program, the Ministry established an 11 – member National Program Steering Committee as the governing body of NRIP.
The Science and Technology Ministry in a consultative process developed a Cabinet Memo on commercialization of Kiira Electric Vehicle project and a costed Roadmap was approved by Cabinet. Since then the following accomplishments have been made;
- Construction of the Kiira Vehicle Plant commenced on 12th February 2019 and by 30th April 2020, progress stood at 50% of the Start-Up Facilities comprising of 40,000 Square Meter Production Facilities with capacity of twenty-two (22) Vehicles a Day implying 5,000 Vehicles per Year starting with Buses and Trucks; 12km.
- The construction works undertaken by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces through National Enterprise Corporation are scheduled to be completed in June 2021.
- Subject to availability of the requisite funds, the Plant shall be commissioned by June 2021.
- It is also imperative to note that UNBS applied to the International Society for Automotive Engineers for a World Manufacturers Identifier. The application was successful with Uganda being assigned the World Manufacturers Identifier BU paving way for assignment of Vehicle Identification Numbers for Vehicles Assembled in Uganda.
- The Strategic Government Investment in the Kiira Vehicle Plant is expected to create over 14,000 Jobs directly and indirectly.
Plans are also underway to create a Ugandan ‘Silicon valley’ through the Establishment of science and technology parks which will bring together various collaborative people such as; researchers, industrialists, innovators, as well as capital venture entrepreneurs and financiers.
Elioda Tumwesigye stated that low-cost solar power pumps for irrigation developed by a Professor at Makerere University are due for commercialization and so far about 1000 have been produced by Prof. Byaruhanga. These affordable solar-powered pumps will assist farmers to irrigate their crops with a steady water supply all year round.
