Uganda's capacity for vehicle manufacturing has increased from 10% to 30%. The Minister for Science and Technology, Monica Musenero, stated that the government has invested heavily in the automotive engineering industry and is now considering further investment to enable it to compete with the agricultural sector.
The Minister explained that this progress is part of Vision 40, which aims for the country to achieve 60% self-sufficiency in manufacturing various vehicle spare parts. She made these remarks while addressing the media about preparations for the upcoming 11th edition of UNESCO Engineering Week and the 9th African Engineering Conference, scheduled to take place from September 14th to 20th at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
Minister Musenero also highlighted the country's advantage in steel production, which is being used to manufacture various vehicle components like brake pads. Additionally, she noted that Uganda is in advanced stages of manufacturing its own batteries and tires. This initiative is part of a broader plan to boost the national economy to a value of $500 billion.
In a related development, the government has established an engineering center at Rwebiteete in the Kiruhura district. The Minister recently presided over the graduation of 75 engineers who had excelled in entrepreneurship skills at this center. The facility will collaborate with Kiira Motors, Uganda's first indigenous car company.
Speaking at the same event, the President of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers, Bosco Lepi, expressed confidence in the profession's future. He cited various achievements, including an increase in the number of registered members, as a sign of its growing success.
