Ministry of science, technology and innovation confirms more improvements in the sector

29 November 2024, 11:33 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The executive chairman of Kiira Motors Corporation, Professor Dr. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa during the NRM manifesto presentation week at the office of the president in Kampala, told journalists that they are willing to continue working hard to create more jobs for Ugandans. However Although Ugandans still have inferiority complex when it comes to the innovations in science and technology, the sector has taken significant strides in a short period specifically in the field of motor vehicle engineering and associated parts.

This is evidenced in the electric buses, motor cycles and vehicles with associated parts that are being produced by Kiira Motors corporation in Jinja and Kapeeka Luweero districts where the factories are located. Prof. Dr. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa while presenting the milestone reached by the sector to the media revealed that they have strategized to manufacture a combined capacity of 50,000 electric vehicles and motor cycles by 2030.

According to the chairman, the currently annual installed capacity is 10,000 motor vehicles but due to limited resource envelop and manpower, they are still producing below the optimum level. The factory can produce 5,000 buses on annually.
The director also revealed a total of 514 billion Uganda shillings have been invested in the sector since 2018 and this investment has created 1,000 jobs both direct and indirectly and uses between 18-30% local content which gives a big hope as far as employment creation is concerned.

He also told the media that they have a big plan of electrifying the public transport system and this will help ease traffic jam in Kampala and in other busy towns thus saving time and money wasted. The electric public transport system will help in climate change mitigation because such vehicles are not emitting gas like the diesel and petrol engine cars, they are cost effective and those who will engage in business will make good money without getting stressed.

Other agencies being funded by the ministry of science and technology have also been able to come up with new innovations for instance Makerere University has invented a solar cooker which is ready for market now, egg incubation and a Biodegradable hair from Banana fiber and shoe brushes made from animal skin. According to the Prof. Sandy, the sector is planning to use a flexible financing model which will help to tap more finance resources from the private sector so as to widen the capital base at Kiira Motor Corporation.

He also said that more than 400 small scale enterprises have been supported by the ministry and they are now looking at how the sector can support the parish development model (PDM) through making cost effective farm implements affordable by small-scale farmers.

He said that the sector is targeting by 2024/2025 fiscal year to reach 80% of the NRM 2021-2026 manifesto and by the end of this term the sector will have achieved 85%, given the motivation of salary enhancement by government for scientists. In an effort to improve innovations in the engineering sub-sector, the Ministry has taken students to China to study and benchmark for three months about how best electric vehicle are made and other 3 were sent to Japan to study about aero-space, while 200 electric bus operators have been trained. Despite all these achievement, the Global Innovation Index (GII) analysis still ranks Uganda in 121 position using the 2013 figures.