Government to set up 41 innovation hubs around the country

By Bridget Kabahenda

The government of Uganda under the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations has set plans to establish 41 municipal innovation and technology hubs in all municipalities across the country to identify skilled personnel for indigenous innovations.

According to Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, the minister for science technology and innovations, the proposed plan is set to cost 254 million dollors and the hubs will be operationalized by the identifying people from different municipalities with innovation skills.

However, Rwabuhinga Richard, the Kabarole district chairperson, challenged the government to first review the Ugandan education curriculum if the country is to embrace science technology and innovations as per the presidential plan.

Rwabuhinga says government cannot talk of science and innovations when students are lacking science apparatus in laboratories to improve their science skills and the curriculum emphasizes more theory than practices which is a thorn in the flesh to the innovations that would be embraced by young ones at an early age.

The president earlier directed the ministry of science technology and innovations to establish indigenous knowledge institutes that are aimed at improving innovations at local level through business mentoring and linking them to potential investors.

Arthur Makara the commissioner science technology and innovation advancement says the indigenous innovations start from local farmers who can make finished products from their produce that government is set to support to improve their products through value addition, packaging and exporting.

Uganda has a 4 year plan between now and 2022 to be able to produce its own cars with the existence of Kiira motors with the assembly plant in Jinja. The development has so far used 24 billion out of 143 billion required.