By Moses Ssserwanga
Uganda’s Finance
Minister , Mr. Matia Kasaija has underscored the importance of technological innovations as the country prepares for the 4th industrial
revolution .
" A country that
doesn't innovate as we head into the 4th industrial revolution is a dead one.
Uganda should keep pace with the rest of the world in the field of science ,
technology and innovation to create jobs
and improve our general wellbeing ," Kasaija said .
The minister made the
remarks while on a fact finding visit to
the Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant that is under construction at the Jinja
Industrial and Business Park. “With digitalization, artificial intelligence and
development of electric vehicles, Uganda must keep as close as possible to the
rest of the world. New technologies are emerging everyday and as a country we
should be prepared not to be left behind, ” the Minister stated .
While appreciating the management
and stuff of Kiira Motors for their innovations to champion green mobility
technologies as a solution to Uganda’s urban transportation needs, Kasaija said
that it was the NRM government’s ideology to have Ugandans at the center of the country’s economic development .
“The economy should be
in the hands of Ugandans and everything is being done to develop capacity of
local contractors to take on and deliver quality works on some of the country’s
infrastructure development projects” , he said. The Minister said local
companies with demonstrable capacity
should be encouraged to undertake
infrastructure development projects on which government spends an
estimated Shs. 7 trillion. “This is the
only way we can develop and increase
local content participation.”
Kasaija implored other
Uganda innovators to follow the Kiira Motors model -to patent and commercialize their innovations . Kiira Motors has unveiled its production
electric buses paving way for the deployment of the first Ugandan made Kayoola EVS buses for urban transportation .
After the successful validation tests, the Kayoola EVS buses are expected to be
deployed on the Entebbe express highway .
The Finance Minister
pledged that government will bridge the funding gap for the Kiira Vehicles
plant to be completed on schedule . “The
Job you have started by demonstrating local capacity in development of green
mobility technologies as a solution for urban public transportation shall be
completed ,” he stressed.
The minister was taken
on a site tour by the Kiira Motors Executive Chairman , Prof. Sandy Stevens
Tickodri-Togboa, the Under Secretary of Ministry Of Science Technology and
Innovation, Mr. Emmanuel Freddie Mugunga , the CEO, Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi and
Brig. Gen. Ddiba Ssentongo the Deputy Managing Director of National Enterprise
Corporation ,(NEC) the business army of the UPDF who are in charge of the
construction works .
Prof. Tickodri thanked President Yoweri Museveni for believing and
supporting Kiira Motors’ mission
vehicles made in Uganda . Brig. Ssentongo said that with the availability of
funds , NEC has the capacity to complete
the construction of the Kiira Vehicle
Plant ahead of schedule. “We shall
delivery a world class vehicle plant to show that Uganda and the UPDF have the
requisite competences and capacity to deliver high quality projects of national
strategic importance ,” he said.
Mr. Mugunga called for the setting up of a National
Construction Company in a deliberate effort to stop capital freight by foreign
companies .
According to , Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi, the new
Kiira Motors electric buses can cover a
distance of 300 kilometers under a single charge. They have a speed governor that allows a
maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour but can pick up to a speed of 140
Kilometers per hour .
The 12 meter long Kayoola EVS buses have a capacity of 90 passengers (49 sitting
and 41 standing) while the diesel engine ones will seat 65 passengers .
The writer is a media and communications consultant and advocate of the high Court of Uganda
msserwanga@gmail.com
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