BY MOSES SSERWANGA
Dr. Isaac
Mutenyo the Chairman of Engineers Registration Board, (ERB) has said that Kiira
Motors is a national legacy project that should be people centered . He called
upon the UPDF Engineering Brigade through the National Enterprise Corporation
,(NEC) who are constructing the Kiira Vehicle Plant at the Jinja Industrial and
Business Park, to “guard jealously “ what will be a national treasure once
completed mid next year .
The start up facility which is projected to produce 22
vehicles per day and 5,000 a year is at 60% completion and it is on course to
be ready for vehicles production next year if government releases all the required
funds to set up the production line , “ Eng. Brian Buhanda the General Manager NEC stated. The construction
works are being supervised by the Makerere University based ,Technology Consult that was
represented by Eng. Peter Mugumya.
Dr. Mutenyo made the remarks when he led a- 13 man
delegation of ERB including members of their secretariat who had a tour of the
Kiira Vehicle Plant site on Saturday midmorning .
“ Let Kiira Motors involve the people especially the local
communities in ensuring the project serves the public interest. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is key for the people
and the KMC leadership should ensure
that health and safety measures are observed on site at all times. We don’t
want to hear an incident here this facility is very important for the economic
growth and development of Uganda,” Dr.
Mutenyo who was received at the site by the KMC Executive Chairman, Prof. Sandy
Stevens Tickodri-Togboa and the KMC CEO , Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi, stressed.
CSR is a management concept whereby
companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their
business operations and interactions with their stakeholders.
The ERB Chairman pledged that his board will be KMC
brand ambassadors and said they will work with the company’s management to
register a team of engineers who are churning out electric vehicles in Uganda
and championing green mobility technologies on the African continent .
Prof. Tickodri-Togboa called upon government through
the Ministry of Energy to deploy a national charging infrastructure to prepare
for the evolving electric vehicles revolution across the world. Mr. Musasizi said that Kiira Motors was at
the forefront of developing Uganda’s nascent automotive industry for deepening
value addition and create thousands of
jobs in Uganda with- the second youngest population in the world.
Mr. Musasizi
said that although it was commendable that government has embarked on
the development of 22 industrial and business parks across Uganda, there is still
inadequate infrastructure to
support establishment of industries
in these parks i.e -connection to national grid,
railway sidings, roads, water, waste treatment plant and there is limited
investment in infrastructure to support the shift to green automotive
technology and charging infrastructure.
For the Kiira Vehicle Plant , Musasizi said government
should expedite plans to put in place facilities for vehicle testing, vehicle
homologation protocols, and automotive technology research and development
centers to support the utilization of the abundant minerals and plant materials
for developing a wide range of auto parts and systems in Uganda.
Among
other the Engineers Registration Board members present included , Eng. Dr.
Florence Lubwama kiyimba, Eng. Dr. John Tumwesigye, Eng. George william Bwanga,
Eng.Dr. Eleanor Wozei, Eng. Ayub Sooma and Eng. Ronald Namugera who is also the
Registrar on the Board.
