musitafa kalyowa

The newly created ministry of Science Technology and Innovation has promised to support innovations at Makerere University through the innovation fund.

Through the Presidential Initiative on Science and Technology, the government of Uganda has continued to prioritize science and technology in Makerere University. In Makerere University, it started in 2010/2011 with the first phase ending in 2015. The initiative is now in the second phase of the support until 2020.

THE MAP BELOW SHOWS THE LOCATION OF CEDAT

The Presidential Initiative on Science and Technology was started purposefully to enhance the development of science and research in the country. The initiative seeks to advance scientific research through better funding and organization.
The initiative works through various bodies including the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCST), Makerere University School of Food Science and Technology, Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology and the various research stations across the country. The initiative is recording success throughout the country.

The Government of Uganda adopted the Presidential Innovations Fund for the Faculty of Technology as part of its strategy to build the country’s scientific and technological capacity and enabling it to facilitate its development efforts on a sustainable basis. It is implemented in phases, each phase is USh25 billion five-year phase financed by the Government and implemented by Faculty of Technology through ten projects.

The ten projects benefiting from the Presidential Initiative on Science and Technology include the Arms project, iLabs, CREEC. CLICK HERE to see more projects https://prezi.com/view/gnLSUik7LlOUBAhmnQER/

CLICKHERE to view a list of innovations at the College of Engneering, Design, Art and Technology Makerere University.

Innovators at CEDAT have blamed the presidential inniative on science and technology for the delay in releasing the funds in order to facilitate their innovations in time. According to Alvin Abaho, it is both mindset and lack of funds that is challenging them.

However according to Ssentala George william, its lack of materials on Ugandan market to use in developing new ideas that is affecting them.

According to most Innovators we interviewed at CEDAT Makerere university, lack of funds and materials to use are the major challenges affecting innovators at CEDAT Makerere University.
However according to the Projects’ officer Mr. Rujumbura Mark, at the college of Engneering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), most students are only interested in getting marks insteady of focusing on innovation.

However, innovators suggest the following measures in order to improve and increase innovations at CEDAT, Makerere University and Uganda at large.

For CEDAT, the initiative has supported modernization of laboratory infrastructure, industrial training innovative projects among others.

The ministry also aims at fulfilling Uganda’s vision 2040, which will see Uganda into a middle income country. Science, innovation and technology is fundamental in the development of this nation. It is not clear how much the ministry gets for funding innovators

Through the innovations funds, the ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology will be able to establish incubation centers in the different regions across the country. These incubation centers will be a one-stop center for all innovation needs.

The ministry will also help innovators in patenting their ideas in order to minimize on people stealing others ideas.

Kampala, Wakiso and Arua had the biggest number of voters in the 2016 general elections. The map below shows voter turn-up in 2016 presidential elections per district.
https://fusiontables.google.com/embedviz?q=select+col0+from+1d2baLxptb8YkGypW5MuK_pzF-Lr4UWfyky73M4pZ&viz=MAP&h=false&lat=1.7437126900783995&lng=33.277601239062506&t=1&z=8&l=col0&y=2&tmplt=2&hml=ONE_COL_LAT_LNG

TOTAL	15277198	10329131
KAMPALA	1014294	522139
WAKISO	900035	484589
ARUA	336384	219785
KASESE	335162	244720
KIBAALE	322342	229572
MUKONO	292011	184919
MUBENDE	281901	195258
KABALE	271884	207143
MBARARA	242788	164365
NTUNGAMO	238337	171459
JINJA	233848	136926
TORORO	233437	165628
KABAROLE	233385	168161
HOIMA	228917	157423
RAKAI	223901	152847
IGANGA	222276	144910
MBALE	220339	145190
ISINGIRO	201963	141588
LUWEERO	201664	133764
KAMULI	200257	129611
BUIKWE	199928	129129
MAYUGE	196170	122590
KYENJOJO	186538	135972
GULU	184791	101588
LIRA	182731	124487
NEBBI	173502	119656
KAMWENGE	173159	123577
BUGIRI	163023	106111
KAYUNGA	162880	105591