The State Minister for Investment and Privatization, Evelyn Anite has asked Ugandans to buy and consume locally produced goods.
"Previously, nobody believed Uganda could assemble and manufacture phones but here we are. We have gone from just assembling and manufacturing feature phones to now AI powered smartphones. I therefore ask Ugandans to buy these locally manufactured products. If you have two phones, one of them should be locally produced," Anite said.
The minister was on Saturday afternoon speaking at the launch of an AI-powered smartphone manufactured by Simi mobile at their factory in Namanve Industrial Park.
According to Anite, when Ugandans buy locally produced goods, they not only support the local industry but also provide employment to fellow Ugandans and in the end support the economy.
"If you buy this product, you are giving employment to a fellow Ugandan and he or she will be able to take her or his children to school but also buy from a local shop. This way, we are boosting the local economy to thrive."
She said to prove that the locally manufactured mobile phones are of good quality, Simi Mobile has previously exported them to as far as Morocco in North Africa.
"It is satisfying to hear we are moving away from asembling any ordinary phone to an AI powered smartphone. As government, we shall continue facilitating investments in the country to be able to satisfy the big market we have."
Anite explained that apart from the East African market, there is COMESA and the African market which are available to Uganda to sell her locally manufactured products.
"Any manufacturer in Uganda is able to sell their market to the 1.4 billion African market which is well negotiated but apart from that, they can easily sell to Europe and the US where we have very good relations."
The secretary of Engo Holdings Limited, also known as Simi Mobile David Beecham Okwere said starting as a small shop selling phones along Kampala road in 2016, they have grown to start assembling phones.
"During the Covid pandemic, we got into innovating a smartphone that could measure temperature that was recognised as the best in a global competition. We have since moved from that to now launch the Mecha smartphone, the first of its kind powered by AI," Okwere said.
"As the world moves towards digital innovation, there are things concerncing AI and this phone has got components of AI that make each and every communication easier. This phone will be able to compete with any existing phone in the world."
Okwere said the new phone is in line with the government initiative to encourage Ugandans buy locally produced goods.
He explained that by manufacturing a phone which capable of competing with others on the world market, Ugandans can easily buy it and support the local manufacturer.
"We are working with Chinese to help in transferring their knowledge to Ugandans and in the future, it will be Ugandans doing all this work. Despite this, 90% of the employees in this factory are Ugandans who are getting knowledge from Chinese that they will in future use."