SPEAKER KADAGA , NABAKOOBA, LAMWAKA DECLARED WINNERS AS RUKUTANA PULLS GUN AND FIST FIGHTS REPORTED IN SEMBABULE , JINJA , MBALE AND KAZO

 

BY MOSES SSERWANGA

The NRM returning officer for Kamuli district has declared Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga the NRM women MP flag bearer after she registered the  biggest win in the  hotly contested primaries where several senior and junior ministers were given the boot by dissatisfied-angry  voters.

 In a show of overwhelming support Kadaga polled 118,748 of the vote with her rival Mugerwa Deborah Mwesigwa receiving 7243  votes .Other  candidates  who will run on the ruling NRM party ticket  in Kamuli  district are , Kibalya Henry who got 20,158 votes for   Bugabula South , john Teira 17,808 Bugabula North, Namatovu Masitula 7,315 for the Municipality , and Martin Mugabi muzaale 36,853 for Buzaya constituency .

Kadaga thanked her supporters for the overwhelming support even when some mafia’s in government where busy maligning her name before President Museveni . “ I take this opportunity to thank all voters and campaign agents. Let's prepare for the next battle; win it; and serve our people,” a jovial Speaker said.

She added ,”One day, when I quit active politics, I would like to be remembered for three key issues: Speaking out for the underprivileged; introduction of the Certificate of Gender and Equity Compliance --- before any law is passed; and striving to end Female Genital Mutilation.”

In Mityana  , Judith Nabakooba the Minister of ICT and NG and incumbent woman MP for Mityana district floored her opponent in the NRM primaries for flag bearers – registering a 86.4% landslide that has paved the way to retain her seat in the 11^th parliament .

The triumphant Nabakooba in a message to her supporters after the huge win stated ; “ I'm truly honoured for the trust and overwhelming support I got as the nominated NRM flag bearer-woman MP,Mityana District. This is a vote of confidence-shared victory and a renewal of our commitment to improve service delivery. Onwards to the final race. Thank you all. God bless you. “

In Omoro district , Catherine  Lamwaka  will be the NRM  Party Flag bearer as the woman MP for Omoro district after  she beat her rivals , Amb. Akech Okulu and Grace Atim with a landslide. Lamwaka ‘s huge win where she beat her rivals with well over ten thousand votes means that she is  now at the halfway mark to retain her seat in the 11^th parliament  .

As  supporters of Hons  Nabakooba and Lamwaka were celebrating in Mityana and  Omoro districts  at least 10 Ministers were nursing  wounds after they  were thumped by their arch rivals . The hotly contested NRM primaries recorded huge political upsets in Sheema and Koboko municipalities with incumbents Dr. Elioda Tumwesigue and vocal State Minister for Investments Evelyn Anite trailing political novices, Dickson Kateshumbwa and Dr. Charles Ayume , respectively.

But  historicals -Generals Jim Muhwezi and Kahinda Otafiire won with commanding -solid leads in their respective races . In the  east "Maama Mbale" Connie Galiwango  beat her  rival "big sister"Lydia Wanyoto while in Mbarara municipality incumbent Michael Tusiime, lost to his opponent businessman Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari . Others losing include Fred Tumwesigye, Abraham Byandala, Simeo Nsubuga , Peter kibazanga and Molly Kamukama .

Ministers Prof. E. Kamuntu ,David Bahati, Mary Gorrette Kitutu won in  Ndorwa West and  Manafwa while fellow ministers , Mary Karoro, Adolf Mwesigye, Peter Egwang,  Mwesigwa Rukutana  , Beatrice Anywaa aka Maama Mabira /political slay queen -were fighting for their political lives while trailing in their respective races .

 Florence Nebanda won  for the woman MP in Butaleja and Namuganza for Bukono county .

In Ruhama south , Benjamin Kamukama won  while Bata Kamateneti took the ntungamo woman MP flag. In Isingiro North, Lt. Col bright Rwamirama  sailed through together with Nathan Byanyima in Bukanga North  , isngiro South Alex Bakunda, Bukanga county Steven kangwagye; Mbarara city south Mwine mpaka , Mbarara city  woman MP  Rita Atukwase and Kashari  South J.B. Tumusiime and woman MP Margaret Rwebyambu.

Rukutana takes law in his own hands , the Jinja, Kazo and Mbale fracases 

The hotly contested elections went on without major incidents across the country following heavy deployment of security forces . But defeated Mwesigwa Rukutana took the law in his own hands when he grabbed a gun from his security detail and pointed it at civilians travelling in a vehicle . He later calimed that he was defending himself from intruders .

In Jinja and Mbale rival candidates and their supporters  engaged in fist fights accusing each other of manipulating the final tally results .  By Saturday afternoon in many constituencies official results were yet to be announced .

Isolate cases of goons beating and intimidating voters were reported in some villages and police said they were investigating the reported cases .

Other Results:

 

IBANDA DISTRICT IBANDA SOUTH  Winner: Eng. John Byabagambi 2nd: John Paul Panadol    IBANDA MUNICIPALITY  Winner: Tarsis Rwaburindore  2nd : Deus Mulinde    IBANDA NORTH Winner: Guma Gumisiriza 2nd: Xavier Kyooma   IBANDA WOMAN MP Winner: Jovrine Kaliisa  2nd: Jane Bainomugisha      *KAZO DISTRICT* KAZO COUNTY  Winner: Gordon Bafaki  2nd: Dan Kimosho    KAZO WOMAN MP Winner: Jennifer Muheesi  2nd: Molly Kamukama    *KIRUHURA DISTRICT* NYABUSHOZI COUNTY  Winner: Wilson Kajwengye  2nd: Col. Fred Mwesigye    KASHONGI COUNTY  Winner: Herbert Tayebwa  2nd:  Genensio Tumuramye    KIRUHURA WOMAN MP Winner: Sheila Mwine Katsimbura  2nd: Jovanice Rwenduru    *SHEEMA DISTRICT*  SHEEMA NORTH  Winner: Naome Kibaaju  2nd: Dr. Arthur Mugisha   SHEEMA MUNICIPALITY Winner: Dicksons Kateshumbwa  2nd: Elioda Tumwesigye    SHEEMA SOUTH Winner: Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu  2nd: Eng. Yorokamu Katwiremu    SHEEMA WOMAN MP  Winner: Rosemary Nyakikongoro  2nd: Jacklet Rwabukurukuru    *MITOOMA DISTRICT* RUHINDA SOUTH  Winner: Donozio Kahonda  2nd: Arthur Kazoora    RUHINDA COUNTY Winner: Kahinda Otafiire  2nd: Robert Mbeine    RUHINDA NORTH  Winner: Thomas Tayebwa  2nd: Dr. Moses Twimukye     *MITOOMA WOMAN MP*  winner:Jovah Kamateeka 2nd Agasha Juliet Bashiisha   *BUSHENYI DISTRICT* IGARA EAST  Winner: Michael Mawanda   IGARA WEST  Winner: Mbwatekamwa Gaffa 2nd: Horace Muhanguzi    BUSHENYI - ISHAKA MUNICIPALITY  Winner: Derrick Kabuura  2nd: Marvin Baryaruha    BUSHENYI WOMAN MP Winner: Annet Mugisha  2nd: Mary Karooro Okurut

 

 

AMIN GRAND DAUGHTER SHARIFAH TABAN AMIN ELECTED KOBOKO NRM WOMAN MP FLAG BEARER

 

BY MOSES SSERWANGA

The Amin family is back in national politics after former President Iddi Amin  Dada ‘s  grand daughter- Dr Sharifah  Taban Amin was elected and declared the NRM party  Koboko  woman MP in shocking polls that have seen many incumbents thrown by the way side for non- performance , arrogance and being absentee legislators who had for long abandoned their electorates .

Shortly after her surprise win , Sharifah Taban Amin one of the Museveni -doctom- young generation paid special tribute to President Yoweri Museveni saying he gave his father a chance to come back from exile without which she  would not have gone to school and become what she is today.

“ For me I have grown up and been educated by the NRM government . President Museveni gave my father and my family a chance to  come back home . He gave my father a job which enabled him to take me to good schools. That’s why I’m a strong NRM and Museveni’s supporter ,”  Dr. Sharif Taban Amin said .

A political novice so to speak, Sharif Amin said that she was going to learn on the  job and was ready for her opponents in the 2021 general elections  because “ I have been blessed by God and the people liked me naturally . “

“ I didn’t have the money yet my opponents used a lot of it . But the people of Koboko- young and old voted for me ,” She explained  vowing to work for unity among  the leaders in the district to champion the causes that are of great interest to the people especially the jobless youth .

In Fort Portal controversial incumbent Sylvia Rwabogo was shown the door when the voters elected her rival Linda Irene. Veteran media personality Margarate Muhanga survived by a whisker when she won by a narrow margin of 200 votes in Fort Portal North tourism city . In  Hoima Beatrice ‘true mummy’ defeated Harriet Businge –‘baby face’.

Minister Simon Lokodo was  beaten by Baatom Ben  Koryang in Dodoth, while Dr. C. Kiyonga bounced back in Bukonzo West after a long stay in political limbo .Ferigo Kambale will hold the NRM flag  in Kasese municipality while Frank Tumwebaze retains his Kamwenge flag.  Another veteran legislator Aston Kajara was defeated by Don Katalihwa  while minister  Col. Tom Butiime and NRM historical in Tooro  won in Mwenge Central. 

 

D-DAY :HEAVY SECURITY DEPLOYED AS VOTERS DECIDE ON NRM PARTY FLAG BEARERS

 

By MOSES SSERWANGA

There is heavy deployment of the police and army across the country especially in the 15 hotspots as NRM party members go to the polls to decide who will be their flag bearers for the  scientific 2021 general elections.

There has also been heavy spending of money by the various candidates as they woe voters in the hotly contested NRM primaries  with at least two major races in Sembabule district suspended by the Party Chairman , President Yoweri Museveni due to violence and intimidation of voters.

 Museveni -the endorsed NRM chairman and the party’s sole presidential candidate has also directed that all known NRM members/supporters  should be allowed to vote in tomorrow’s polls following complaints that in some villages- in the flagged hotspots -the NRM party voters register had been tampered with in futile efforts to rig the vote.

Now, Museveni is emphatic  that  all NRM party members whether registered or not should be given an opportunity to cast their votes by adding their names on the voters register after verification by the village committees. The exercise of registering voters will go on until the polling day , Museveni stated in a communication to all national NM branch (village) executive committees.

An estimated 2,600 candidates are vying for posts in the NRM mass party with  an estimated 1,600 candidates standing to get the direct Member of Parliament NRM flag, some  200  women contesting for the woman MP flag .  Speaker of  parliament Rebecca Kadaga got an endorsement from the Busoga Kingdom Prime Minister Joseph Muvawala who said the region can not afford not to have Kadaga in both local and national politics and that she should retain all her positions. Else where, Judith Nabakooba was predicted to get the NRM flag for the Mityana woman MP and Lydia Wanyoto was also reported to be ahead of rival in Mbale.

The flagged hotspots

Police and the   army conducted night patrols and have today morning deployed heavily in the hotspots  as voters head to the polling centers where they will vote by lining behind their preferred candidates . The hotspots include Rakai Ssembabule, Kassanda, Kazo, Bundibugyo, Sironko, Sheema, Mbale, Hoima, Koboko, Adjumani, Kashongi, Kampala, Wakiso and Hoima.

In Ssebambule where the voting has been suspended , the incumbent Lwemiya MP Theodore Ssekikuubo was battling State Minister for transport Joyce Kabatsi while President Yoweri Museveni’s relative Godfrey Aine is facing off with Shartis Musherure Nayebare, a daughter to foreign affairs Minister Sam Kutesa for the  Mawogola North constituency.

An Interesting profile of the race for Mawogola North shows that Shartsi Musherule, one of the contenders is daughter to Sam Kuteesa  and twin sister to the first  Son Gen. Muhoozi’s wife Charllote. Her rival is her father-in-law Sodo Aine Kaguta, younger brother to President Museveni and therefore an uncle to Muhoozi.

In Shema , Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye a veteran politician who has been MP for 20 years and minister for Science technology and Innovation , (MosTI) is in a race of his life- facing off with a political novice but who is filthy rich -Dickson Kateshumbwa aka(Kaesh)- who was recently sacked from URA by President Museveni. This particular race is  hotly contested  that police and army have had to storm hotels and lodges in Sheema and  rounded up over 50 “kanyamas” who were ferried from   Kampala by the two camps to allegedly  intimidate voters.

The army and police have now been deployed in all the villages of Sheema to ensure that no violence erupts during and after the elections.

Koboko is another hot one , with the incumbent Evelyn Anite being given a run for her money by another fresh political entrant  Dr. Charles Ayume . Already cases of violence and hooliganism have been reported in Koboko forcing the police to summon the two arch rivals to record statements .

 

But why the do or die NRM primaries

 

 Political pundits have told the trusted and topical Ugandaupdatenews.com publication that commercialization of Uganda’s politics where  an MP earns well over Ug.shs.35M a month- candidates are even selling their houses to buy votes and go to parliament . Civil society actors  monitoring the campaign financing in Uganda now believe that for one to be elected an MP they should have spent on average Ug.shs.300M.

 

In the NRM primaries some candidates are said to be spending well over Ug.shs.500m- meaning that by the time they are done with the general elections next year they would have spent in the upward of a billion shillings . In western Uganda a vote was reported to be going for as much as ug.Shs.300,000 depending on one’s burgaining power and influence in the villages .

 

And here is the math. It is estimated that an MP would have earned at least 2bn official money in salaries and allowances over a five year period when they are in parliament which is a motivating factor for candidates to invest as much as Ug.shs.500m for campaigns  and make a ‘profit’ of ug.shs.1.5bn when they are elected MPs.

 

“ That’s why candidates will do everything within their means to be elected as MPs. And when one wins the primaries they are at 70% mark to become MPs. And the voters want to have a piece of the cake too -since for some, this is the first and last time they will interact with these politicians. Many don’t return to their electorates once they are elected ,” John Bagonza a political scholar stated .

 

The same views have since been echoed  by Ugandan scholars- Ramathan Ggoobi and Prof.  Mwambutsya who noted that you cannot have free and fair elections when the majority of the voters are poor and when those who commercialise politics are rewarded with government positions .

 

Past hotly contested races  

 

So the question is then posed ;is this the first time families are contesting against each other. The answer is no. 

 

During the race to the Constituent Assembly (CA) in 1994 Prof. Adonia Tiberondwa contested against Major Amanya Mushega in Bushenyi yet their wives were blood sisters. The CA involved joint campaigns referred to as Joint Candidates Meetings. Tiberondwa was a former UPC minister and Mushega was a serving NRM minister. Although the law prohibited campaigning along party lines, Bushenyi was still strongly UPC and, naturally a contest between the then  NRM values and those of UPC often became heated.

 

The candidates would haul insults at each other on the campaign platforms to fire up the peasants then withdraw to any of their homes and share  a meal and some pleasantries as the peasants continued with the  bitter rivalry  throughout the night.

 

Another case is Bunyaruguru. where  Hon. Bart  Katurebe ( now retired Chief justice )   and Hon. Twarebireho contested against each other yet they are first cousins. During elections, Twarebireho lost his mother.  The family eulogy was given   by Bart Katurebe who went ahead to win the election .

 

In the 1980 elections in Mbale Central Constituency (now Bududa District and part of Manafwa District) two UPC diehards  who had at different times married or at least produced a child with the same woman contested for the same position . One was Abner Nangwale, a British trained chartered engineer and the other was Seth Mungati, an equally British trained chartered surveyor.

 

Floodgates to many  Independents 

 

The bitter rivalry in the NRM primaries  will  open the floodgates to many independent candidates since the losers are likely to contest the general elections as independents.  According to political commentators all this will increase the cost of elections in Uganda -even when the 2021 polls are likely to be conducted in a scientific manner to stem the spread of the global -novel- Covid-19 pandemic.

msserwanga@gmail.com

0757434677

GLOBAL GREEN GROWTH INSTITUTE HAILS KIIRA MOTORS FOR OFFERING LOCALLY MADE GREEN MOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR CITIES AND URBAN CENTERS

 

BY MOSES SSERWANGA

As Kiira Vehicles plant under construction by the UPDF engineering brigade gets to the 55% completion mark, Ms. Dagmar Zwebe -the Country Representative of   Global Green Growth Institute , (GGGI) has pledged to support  Kiira Motors  Corporation (KMC)’s  efforts to partner with global industry leaders to champion green mobility technologies in Uganda and Africa.

Accompanied by Dr. Muwanguzi JB Abraham, from the National Planning Authority (NPA), Ms. Zwebe , while on a visit at the   Kiira Vehicles Plant site in Jinja, was happy to note the “great strides” Kiira Motors has made to offer home made green mobility solutions for public transport in cities and urban  centers in Uganda , the East African region and the African continent .

She said that as GGGI moves to link KMC with possible international partners involved in electric vehicles manufacturing  and funding , it was imperative for the government of Uganda to fast track the development and implementation of a robust Automotive Industry Development Policy . “ We need an enabling policy environment to develop Uganda’s nascent automotive industry ,’ she stressed.

Already , Global Green Growth Institute  is supporting the government of Uganda to pursue green economic growth and to mainstream green growth principles. GGGI received a grant of USD 5,532,1791 from the European Union to implement a 36 months project aimed at greening Uganda’s urbanization and industrialization as part of the European Union’s Inclusive Green Economy Uptake Programme (GreenUP) financed under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF).

At the Kiira vehciles Plant site , Ms. Zwebe was received by a team of senior  technocrats from the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) led by the Director Technopreneurship, Mr. Basil Ajer. Others present were Mr. Arthur M. Makara Commissioner ST&I Advancement and Outreach , Mr. Paul Okitoi, Commissioner , Policy and Planning , Mr. Morris Ochen , Assistant Commissioner Technology Uptake , Commercialisation and Enterprise Development, Mr. Jaspher Okello ,Principal Science Officer , ST&I Skills Development , Ms. Beatrice Nakayiki , Economist and the Kiira Motors CEO, Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi.  The MOSTI team also conducted an -on-the -spot tour of the plant site to update themselves on the progress of the construction works .

Mr. Ajer said that MOSTI is facilitating local content participation across the automotive value chain by skilling Ugandans and supporting Ugandan innovators especially the youth .  He thanked the National Enterprise  Corporation (NEC) and the UPDF engineering brigade for the good quality construction works exhibited at the vehicles plant which will be one of the biggest in Africa.   

Mr. Musasizi told the visitors that that the immediate need for buses in Uganda can be addressed by KMC working with Luweero Industries Limited to produce eight (8) buses per month with a single shift operation before the operationalization of the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja.

Cabinet has since directed KCCA to procure the Eco Buses from Kiira Motors Corporation as a condition for approving the Loan from African Development Bank.

He said that the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation commissioned a Multi-Sectoral Taskforce comprising members from the Ministries of Science Technology and Innovation; Works and Transport;  Trade Industry and Cooperatives; and Finance Planning and Economic Development.

“The Taskforce has drafted the Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Automotive Industry in Uganda and the Automotive Industry Policy. The next stage is Stakeholder Consultations. The Policy goal is 20% Value Added in the Automotive Industry in Uganda by 2030 up from the estimated 0.18% in 2019,” he stated.

Representatives from the newly created Jinja City , Mr.  Charles Nampendho the Senior Physical Planner and Mr. Ernest Nabihamba said that plans are underway to construct improve the road network to and from the plant. They commended KMC for producing the kayoola electric buses noting that sustainable mobility technologies was the way for public transport in cities and urban centers.  

 Lt. Col Wilbroad Muhwezi and Maj Eng. Geofrey Kayima who are overseeing the UPDF construction works at the plant said the UPDF engineering brigade was building the Kiira Vehicles facility “with the heart of ownership”, since it is a professional people’s army .

UGANDA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY PLEDGES TO DEPLOY KIIRA MOTORS KAYOOLA ELECTRIC BUSES FOR AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICES

The management of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority , (UCAA) led by the Director General ,Mr. Fred Bamwesigye ,has pledged to have a long term partnership with Uganda’s Automotive Industry Flagship, Kiira Motors Corporation to deploy its unique fully electric buses -the Kayoola EVS for airport shuttle services.

UCCA has become the first Ugandan public entity to embraced Kiira Motors green mobility technologies when it accepted to pilot the Kayoola EVS-low- floor city electric bus to transport its staff from Kampala to the airport and back for eight weeks  from July 20^th – September 11^th , 2020.

The UCAA boss ,Mr. Bamwesigye who together with his top management team had a test ride in the Kayoola EVS bus from the organisation’s head office to the airport in Entebbe, while addressing the media stated; “ from the feedback received so far from the users (our staff) and what the management team has also experienced during the morning ride, the Kayoola buses are a welcome addition that will provide some solutions to Uganda’s road transport industry .”

Bamwesigye said that Kiira Motors concept to develop and deploy home made electric vehicles resonates well with UCAA core value of embracing new ideas and technology since  we live in a rapidly changing environment . “ It is even more pertinent that the bus is environmentally friendly because it is electric powered -which rules out the burning of diesel and associated pollution .

He commended the Kiira Motors engineers for installing the state- of- the art safety and assistive technology for people with special needs, including special seats and a ramp for easy boarding and off- boarding of people in wheelchairs. “ The onboard Wi-fi and USB charging ports for phones are a plus that make the ride comfortable,” he added.

The  Director  Marketing and Sales at Kiira Motors, Mr. Allan Muhumuza  gave a comparative advantage of the Kayoola EVS -fully Electric buses over their combustion engine cousins noting that while the owner of a diesel bus will spend UG.SHS.1,670 per kilometer , for the electric bus you will spend only UG.SHS.320 for the same distance.

Mr. Vianney Luggya, the Manager for Public Relations at UCAA said that the  feedback has so far been positive with staff impressed by the quiet ambiance, comfort and on-board amenities such as WiFi, air-conditioning, electronic device charging ports and entertainment.

KCCA SHOULD PARTNER WITH KIIRA MOTORS TO SUPPLY ECO-BUSES

By MOSES SSERWANGA
The Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija has presented  a $ 12m (UGX 45bn) request to parliament’s committee on the national economy to operationalise the Eco- bus  project in Kampala central district . It is proposed that special lanes be put in place for the Eco- (sic) electric and combustion fuel-efficient buses starting at the City Square in a ring road stretching to Jinja road, Nakawa, Ntinda- Bukoto, Kamwokya –Wandegeya and back to City  Square.
The project dubbed Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation is in line with the recently adopted National Development Plan III Integrated Transport Infrastructure Services Program whose major objective is to develop a seamless, safe, inclusive and sustainable multi-model transport system in the city. The plan if well executed is intended to reduce the travel lead times in the Great Kampala Metropolitan Area  (GKMA) from an average 4.1 min/ km to 3.5min/km .
This will be achieved by significantly investing in the rehabilitation and maintenance of the transport infrastructure. This comes at the backdrop of a city which is annoyingly congested, disorganized, heavily polluted and ultimately places a very huge cost to the ordinary traveler in terms of healthy living and the man-hours lost in grid-locked traffic jams that has come to define Kampala.
It can’t be over empathized that the overall city aesthetics and quality of life is hugely compromised by the  dilapidated paved roads and sidewalks, unpaved shoulders which are all sources of the wanton mud and dust that hovers over large sections of the city.
KCCA plans to fix the problems associated with a disjointed public transport system are welcome especially now that other East African member states are already embracing the green mobility technologies. The Central government and KCCA’s efforts to clean up the city also offer unique and abundant opportunities across Uganda’s nascent automotive industry value chain .
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 global pandemic that has necessitated prolonged lockdowns by governments, it is imperative to have new thinking in  the management of public affairs with special attention being directed at harnessing the available local resources to make nations self-sustaining .
Uganda’s capacity to produce goods and services locally
The new normal going forward will essentially entail local production of goods and services and cutting down on the country’s foreign exchange hemorrhage in imports. In his address to the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) E- Conference last week, President Yoweri Museveni underscored the need for government to prioritize the post Covid-19 interventions to boost the economy by supporting key nine production  sectors including transport, in which with local industry champions like Kiira Motors Corporation Ltd  under the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation take the lead.
With Shs.400billion, President  Museveni noted, the automotive  industry can take off and any balance of payments support should go towards development of local manufacturing capacity to ensure the country is competitive in terms of import -substitution and export- promotion.
The President’s vision is correct in a sense that experts have projected that the automotive industry together with the ICT sectors will be key in reviving the global post Covid-19 economies. Kiira Motors Corporation Limited has over the years demonstrated that Uganda has the capacity and capabilities to produce cars locally .
Operating under the  Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation which is led by minister Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, KMC has already produced two market validation executive 12 meter Kayoola electric buses which were built by the UPDF’s Luwero Industries in Nakasongola. This capacity should be leveraged by KCCA when they set out to implement the Eco Bus project in Kampala.
Although it is not yet clear where KCCA intends to source their Eco buses, it is obvious that a local partnership with Kiira Motors is not only ideal but offers a lot more linkages in the national economy. What Ugandans need to know is that the car- just like any other manufactured product has many components or parts that can be sourced locally and thus offer huge opportunities to the local parts fabrication suppliers. A car, on average, has over 30,000 parts by the time it leaves the production line and this gives an indication how vastly Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) will connect to potential suppliers all over the country for its much anticipated Vehicle Production Plant opens in Jinja next year.
Uganda has abundant minerals and other natural raw materials for car production and enterprising Ugandans should be prepared to grab these economic opportunities . The available minerals include copper and cobalt deposits in the border district of Kasese, gold in the areas of Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro, Rukungiri, Kanungu, Busia, Mubende, Hoima, Karamoja, parts of West Nile and Iron ore in Mityana. Other raw materials needed for manufacturing modern cars like lithium can be found in Kabale, Mukono, Mbale and Mubende.  Minerals like tin, zinc, kaolin, and sand for glass are all locally available.
The challenge now is for the government to facilitate the business minded Ugandans to benefit from these natural resources across the automotive value chain.
There is no doubt that promotion of the local automotive value chain enterprises through the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy -will be a very important government intervention after the Covid-19 quagmire and the KCCA Eco-bus project could be a good starting point if well handled.
The writer is a  Media and Communications Consultant/trainer and Advocate of the High Court of Uganda
msserwanga@gmail.com

UGANDA HAS SUCCESFULLY PRODUCED A LOW COST MEDICAL VENTILATOR PROTOTYPE TO FIGHT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

BY MOSES SSERWANGA

Uganda has made a major break through in the fight against the global COVID -19 pandemic  after a team of scientists  led by Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University designed  and produced a functional open design low cost medical ventilator engineering prototype to support management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome caused by the coronavirus.

The low cost medical ventilator project is being undertaken by Makerere University acting through the Resilient Africa Network, a Project at the School of Public Health, Makerere University; and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation acting through Kiira Motors Corporation,according to Prof. Nawangwe.

Prof. Nawamgwe in social media posts stated that a team of Ugandan scientists and engineers from Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) have registered a major breakthrough by designing, producing and successfully undertaking bench tests using artificial lungs on the low cost medical ventilator prototype paving way for the next stage of validation. 

Why test the medical ventilator prototypes

“The main objective was to assess whether the ventilator’s mechanical function is per expectation in terms of ‘Breathe-in-and-out’ ratios, air pressure, and tidal volume. The prototype performed excellently well on all parameters, behaving like any standard ventilator on the market, “ the Vice Chancellor stated.

Two weeks ago, Makerere University, Resilient Africa Network, Kiira Motors, and the Ministry of Science and Technology innovations set out to develop a low cost ventilator to fill a critical gap in the event that COVID-19 cases in the country and the region increased dramatically. 

Prof.Nawangwe  ,this week a team of Kiira Motors engineers working with Veterinarians will start the validation process by testing the ventilatoronanimals before proceeding to clinical trials. “This is an ethical requirement before any new treatment intervention is conducted in human beings. Animal tests will be led by a team from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity at Makerere,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Ventilator to be approved by National Drug Authority and Uganda National Bureau of Standards

Following successful validation process, the team will seek approval from National Drug Authority (NDA) for testing to begin in human beings.

According to Prof. Nawangwe , in two weeks’ time, the team will start Randomized Clinical Trials  (RCT) on human subjects, led by Anaesthesiologists and Epidemiologists from the College of Health Sciences, Makerere. The studies will commence with patients who are moderately ill, then scale to patients who are severely ill. These assessments will be conducted at the Uganda Heart Institute. Alongside all these tests, the engineering team will receive continuous feed-back to optimise the design. Thereafter, the team will seek pre-launch approval of the product from NDA and relevant quality certifications from UNBS, following which 40 ready-to-use units will be initially manufactured. The whole process is estimated to take 8-12 weeks.

“This ventilator will not only be handy for COVID-19 but will transform the country and the region’s capacity to provide decentralized critical care for patients with other serious conditions” the Vice Chancellor emphasized .

The Chief Engineer of the Project and Director Product Development, Kiira Motors Corporation, Mr. Richard Madanda said this was a major milestone for the country since the low cost medical ventilators  once approved will be used in hospital’s   Intensive Care Units , (ICUs) across the country to fight  the  COVID -19 pandemic . 

“ We undertook open technology assessment and adaptation . We have done tests about  the functionality and verification  of the ventilator  with clinicians and now we are proceeding  to do validation in clinical settings before we license the product and we produce at least 40 units for medical use across the country ,” Madanda explained.

The World Health Organization has declared Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic that is rapidly spreading across the globe. There are over  one million COVID-19 confirmed cases, with 55 cases registered in Uganda. Critical COVID-19 cases once hospitalized and placed in the Intensive Care Unit for management require a respiratory assistive technology known as-a Ventilator. 

What is a medical ventilator 

A Medical Ventilator is a machine that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently.  Uganda has 14 regional referral hospitals with 12 functional Intensive Care Units equipped with a total of 55 functional beds implying an estimated 55 ventilators in other words 1.3 beds and ventilators per million people.

Medical Analysts have projected increased global demand for ventilators resultant from the continual increase in severe COVID-19 cases.  Therefore, an increase in conventional ventilator production is very likely to fall short of global demand and with high associated cost. This is the reason why it is imperative to  have low cost affordable ventilators that can be manufactured locally.  And such a ventilator would bolster the country's surge capacity to provide critical care in the event of increased COVID-19 cases.

President Museveni welcomes venture

Officials said President Yoweri Museveni who is at the forefront in the national response to  stave off the Covid-19 pandemic has welcomed the  initiative and offered to support the production of ventilators locally for not only the benefit of the Ugandan people but the East African region and the rest of the world. At US$ 25,000 (FOB) (~UGX 93.7M) a piece, medical ventilators on the international market are prohibitively expensive.

The team is targeting a starting price point between US$ 1,000 (~UGX 3.7 Million) and US$ 3,000 (~UGX 11.2 Million) per low-cost medical ventilator produced in Uganda . In emergency situations like the one we are facing now, where countries are facing a shortage of ventilators, there is a need to demonstrate strength in terms of developing and providing local contingencies. The anticipation is that this low-cost ventilator will be utilized by the health ministry’s first responders to save lives at risk because of the coronavirus.

The production of such ventilators in Uganda will bolster the country's surge capacity to provide critical care in case the demand for such care increases even post the COVID-19 Pandemic.

 

The writer is a media and communications consultant and  Advocate of the High  Court of Uganda

msserwanga@gmail.com