Museveni commits to support a knowledge-based economy

Last week, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni met with a group of Ugandan scientists at State House Entebbe. During the meeting, the two parties deliberated on the best ways to promote local science projects that would in turn steer socio-economic transformation in the country.

President Museveni assured the scientists of the government’s commitment to support them.

“Now, we have already spent on social services, education, and health. That is how our population has grown, and that is how we have been able to attract people like you (scientists). On social services, even if we keep where we are, add on some elements of infrastructure, especially electricity, roads, and railways. Then agriculture and this new economy of knowledge,” Museveni said.

“For the new economy, Kiira Motors needs Shs524bn so they can produce 5,000 buses a year; for the modernized banana industry, we now need Shs45bn; for the vaccines, Shs25bn; for anti-ticks, we need Shs13bn; and Prof. Ogwang needs Shs11bn. This is not more than Shs700bn. Really, here, we should not waste time; we should start on this new capacity that will give us a new base of development,” he added.

On their part, the team led by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero, informed the President that there’s a need to fast-track the implementation of pathfinder projects because they have a positive impact on the country’s economy.

“Your Excellency, we need to complete and functionalize the vital infrastructure because the operationalization of science really has a big impact on the economy. It has been growing, but there are gaps in the infrastructure. We also need to have an adequate innovation fund because it keeps the fire of innovation in the community burning, hence the new ideas that enable us to develop,” Dr. Musenero said.