President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni says the prioritization of science and innovations should be a survival move for the African people that should be adopted by all.
President Yoweri Museveni notes that the colonisation of the African continent was due to absence of advanced counter scientific innovations to resist the colonialists agenda at the time and no more laxity of sort should be exhibited by the African people if they are to survive.
The president says some countries were completely taken over by colonialists who replaced natives and have not recovered todate citing several examples.
This while officiating at this year’s Makerere University Research and Innovations Week.
The president says that’s the basis on which government moved to prioritize scientists in payments and scholarships to fast track the realization of scientific innovations for development of the country.
“In response to the argument I had with some individuals who were asking why we allocate 70% of the funding to scientists, it is not that the arts do not matter, but we need to prioritise survival. The arts will be more appreciated when the foundation of the country is secure. The fundamentals of life (shelter, food, locomotion, defence) are the basic needs of society. The more a society is able to tame and harness nature for its own benefit, the more prosperous that society will become,” Museveni explained.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has tasked the African people to defeat their inferiority complex that has over the years rendered them vulnerable to aggressors despite their ability to develop solutions to their challenges.
He has commended Makerere University students for the great innovations they have showcased at the ongoing university’s research and innovations week which he says has proven the fact that the Ugandan academia have walkenup from their deep sleep.
The president says human beings should take advantage of their superior brain over other creatures and development technologies to tame nature and develop as well.
The president has However advised scientist’s to develop a doctrine that preserves the heritage of the people.
This after exhibitors showed to the president, innovations of flesh/ beef feeds for cows.
He says the idea to feed animals with flesh / beef sounds improper and should be reviewed.
The minister of Education and First Lady Maama Jannet Kataha Museveni says government has sofar funded over 1300 research innovations in universities most of which are now practical solutions to the country.
Her speech was read by the state minister for primary education Dr Moriku Kaducu at the ongoing 3 days Makerere University Research and Innovations Week.
The first lady cites some of the thematic areas focused on for research that include Agricultural Innovations, health, science and technology, natural resource management, cultural development among others.
The Science, Technology and Innovations minister Monica Musenero has asked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to order all procurements for cars of MPs, ministers and all government agencies to be made at KIIRA motors.
Minister Musenero says the move will grant ready markets to the new local car production plant and aid it’s speedy growth.
She says the same approach should be adopted to all domestically produced items by Ugandan researchers and innovators.
She goes on to list key technology areas implemented by the science, technology and innovations ministry.
The president said minister Monica Musenero’s idea is a good one.
Minister Musenero explains how all the ongoing research and innovations are directly linked to the market.
The Makerere University chancellor Dr Crispus Kiyonga says the university is fully aligned to the NRM historical mission of building a self sustainable economy through research and innovations as demonstrated by unique innovative solutions exhibited by the university at the ongoing research and innovations week.
The chairperson Makerere University council Ronah Magara says the university is leading the initiative of ensuring that that country has local innovations that anchor the people into the money economy.
She says this will as well address the question of unemployment.
Ms Magara has commended government’s move to inject 30 billion shillings annually into the universities Research and Innovations Fund that she says has expedited research.
She says the move has also bridged the gap between the academia and the different industry practitioners.
Makerere University Vice Chancellors professor Barnabus Nawangwe says they are now ranked the most impactful university to the community due to the unique projects aligned to improving the socioeconomic welfare of the people.
The VC attributes all that to the creation of the 30 billion shillings annual research and innovations Fund and he cites a number areas their researchers are focused on.
He has revealed that the university prides in the over 500 products on the market that are a result of their research works.
“Some people were asking why we pay scientists better than others or why we want 70% of our
scholarships to go to scientists at the University, it is not that arts people do not matter, but we need to first survive. Shakespeare will not heal someone who is dying, he will be more appreciated much later.” – Museveni
President Museveni’s decision to increase salaries of scientists, like science teachers, has left their arts counterparts unhappy, as reported Here.
Also, the science teachers have resorted to applying for early retirement targeting juicy retirement packages after government increasing their salaries. Museveni has issued a warning to such scientists seeking early retirement. (See Details Here and There).
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