Makerere University students to start mass production of tear gas in June

A team of Makerere University Students is working round the clock, to complete the standardisation of locally-made teargas over the next three months.  The group led by Samuel Falcao Mugarura has set June as the deadline for the completion of the product standardisation phase and anticipate to start mass production by end of June.

Mugarura thrust himself into the public limelight, garnering media attention in September 2016 when he launched what he termed as locally manufactured teargas. Perceived as an average student academically then, Mugarura whose life was illustrated by "anarchism" - leading strikes - set the entire university into a state of bafflement with his teargas invention.

The thrill caused by Mugarura's innovation earned him a call from State House and then a meet up with President Yoweri Museveni who promised support. State Minister for Science Technology and Innovation Elioda Tumwesigye was tasked to follow Mugarura's project and make modalities for financial support.

The team received 400 million Shillings from the government this financial year to standardise the product sample. Mugarura is now working on the project with fellow chemists Ndugwa Fahad, Barasa Joel and Ssenyange Isaac, a lawyer assisting the team on intellectual property rights. The team is mentored by Prof Anthony Mugisha, a former dean at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources.

The chemical composition of the invention will be completed by end of this month, Mugarura said but it will be delayed by the mechanical designs.

He added that the team has been approached by private investors who want to fund mass production but he hastens to add that a decision on whether to team up with government or private investors during the mass production phase the will only be made upon completion of the standardisation process.

Mugarura adds that they anticipate a 50-50 share of the production profit in case of a partnership with the government. However, if they are to team up with private investors, Mugarura says, the financiers will have to be cleared by the government because of the security and sensitivity of their product.

Though the team is appreciative of government finances, Mugarura says the money is not enough. He says the team has been purchasing expensive equipment while standardising the sample. Mugarura further says the team has been frustrated by lack of information. For instance, he says police refused to give them data of the tear gas they use annually or the various canisters fired from teargas grenade guns.

Mugarura further explained that their activities have been slowed down by government procurement processes. He says it can take like two or four months to have equipment and chemicals delivered.

The procurement process starts with requesting for Public Procurement and Disposal Of Assets Authority (PPDA) and write initials of the items they need. They were given a list of certified companies from where they can procure equipment and chemicals. They then send quotations from at least three companies to the PPDA procurement committee which selects the company for the tender. According to Mugarura, the process is slowing them down

Adopted from URN