By Moses Sserwanga
The Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) of the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation , Dr. Susan Desmond Hellmann , has made a historic visit to
Uganda ‘s Ministry of Science,
Technology and Innovation (MoSTI) and pledged that her organisation will
offer technical support to create a mass
of specialized and skilled human resource that can advance Uganda’s innovations
.
While citing the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation motto ;
“All lives have equal value”, Dr. Hellmann who was received by the Minister of Science Technology and
Innovation, Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, said
she was excited about the opportunity to work with the ministry to upscale Uganda’s innovations to benefit as many people as possible.
“Have young people
get excited about Uganda’s innovations
which should be of beneficial value and we are looking forward to a
collaboration that will enhance science ,technology and innovation in Uganda ,”
she stated.
Dr. Hellmann gave
the MoSTI leadership headed by Dr .Tumwesigye a “ Grand Challenges Uganda”
concept note which offers mechanisms
through which the Ministry’s technocrats can take advantage of the available resources and opportunities at
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to
champion science and innovations in Uganda.
Dr.Tumwesigye
highlighted the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s mandate
to promote research and encourage development of indigenous innovations for the
purpose of facilitating indigenous knowledge , systems and commercialization of
Uganda’s innovations like the Kiira Electric and solar powered cars . He
further stated that the ministry was at the forefront of establishing product
development facilities , innovation hubs and technology parks across the
country .
Dr. Hellmann was accompanied by Mr.David Mukanga, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Director for Africa . She held a closed door meeting with the MOST
technical officials who included among others , the Under Secretary, Mr.
Freddie E. Mugunga, the Director for Science , Research and Innovation
Eng. Dr. James Kasigwa and the Director Techno-preneurship , Mr. Basil Ajer .
Others in attendance were, the Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC), Chief Executive Officer,
Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi , the Operations Manager at Kiira Motors , Mr. Arthur
Tumusiime Asiimwe and Dr. D. Kamugasha, the Deputy Executive Director of the
Uganda Institute for Research and Innovation (UIRI).
Dr.Hellmann and her
team later toured an exhibition by some of
Uganda’s Innovators working under
the Ministry of Science ,Technology and Innovation who included , Kiira Motors
,the country ‘s flagship for vehicles
made in Uganda and the green mobility technologies, Banana Industrial
Development (PIBID), the Uganda Institute For Research and Innovation . Other exhibitors were drawn from Makerere
and Mbarara Universities .
