General
President Museveni Launches Kiira EV, Pledges More Support to Mak
President Yoweri Kaguta on Thursday 24th November 2011, launched Makerere University's KIIRA EV, and two lines of production in the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio Engineering Incubation Centre.
President Yoweri Kaguta on Thursday 24th November 2011, launched Makerere University's KIIRA EV, and two lines of production in the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio Engineering Incubation Centre.
This was during his visit to Makerere University. The President was impressed by the number of innovations going on at Uganda’s premier and public university and asked the relevant ministries to look into more funding for the University and better remuneration for its staff.
The President on arrival first toured some of the innovations from the Colleges which included, the low cost irrigation pump- College of Engineering Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT); the Incubation Centre- College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES); the role of natural products in health care delivery: Showcasing erbal/medicinal products in the treatment of Cancer and Diabetes-College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS); Extending HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, TB testing to inaccessible areas-College of Health Sciences (CHS); the Teacher: Pupil attendance monitoring tool – College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) and a training/education model that aims at universal production and development- College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio Security (CoVAB).
With a smile on his face, the Head of State was then driven in the KIIRA EV from the exhibition ground at CEDAT upper parking to the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio Engineering, where he addressed members of staff and students.
“I have told the ministries that in terms of remuneration, Scientists should be remunerated up to international standards. We are going to increase the support for the Institutions. I have nothing but happiness and pleasure to have been here to launch the KIIRA EV and the two production lines in Food Technology. I encourage you to continue. Do not worry about the money, we shall look for it. With our oil, the issue of money will be nothing,’’ he emphasized amidst cheer from the gathering. The President thanked both students and staff of Makerere University for the innovations and promised to come back at a later date to see more.
His Excellency described these innovations at Makerere as a renaissance, adding that the institution has woken up from `a deep slumber,’ that has taken its toll on the African continent. He said Africa regressed technologically during the colonial era, but was glad that Makerere Universityis taking lead in innovations.
“I must salute Makerere. I will give you all the support. This is just a small beginning. Africa being out of technology has led to slavery, colonialism and marginalization but we can reverse and go back. I am really happy with what is happening here. You can be sure of all the support from Government in spite of our limited resources,’’ he added.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, thanked Government for supporting Makerere, adding that the University was committed to graduating students with potential to impact on society. He added that Makerere embraces commercialization and is ready for mass production in partnership with the Private Sector. This however awaits the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) bill before Parliament, to be passed into law.
The Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera asked Government to have a special unit in State House handling Small and Medium Enterprises, so that brilliant projects from students are not frustrated at the implementation phase.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration, Prof. Tickodri Togboa, Principal Investigator, Vehicle Design Project (VDP) – was proud that Makerere's Centre for Research in Transportation Technologies was beginning to bear fruit, and revealed that by June 2013, the Centre will have built an electric bus. He thanked the team that had put efforts in having the KIIRA EV take off and asked them not to tire.
Click here to visit the Picture Gallery
Downloads
Programme of theVisit: doc(65KB), pdf(18KB)
Speech by the President: doc(84KB), pdf(61KB)
Speech by the Chancellor: doc(86KB), pdf(41KB)
Speech by the Chair Council: doc(85KB), pdf(41KB)
Speech by the Vice Chancellor: doc(74KB), pdf(52KB)
Speech by the Principal Investigator: doc(110KB), pdf(66KB)
Related article
President Museveni Launches Kiira EV
amarion@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
-
General1 week agoCall for Applications: Admission to Postgraduate Programmes 2025/2026
-
Humanities & Social Sciences1 week agoOver 2,000 Attend Makerere’s Dialogue on Traditional Spirituality, Herbal Medicine, Witchcraft and Questions of Truth
-
General4 days agoAccommodation during the Recess Term: 2024/2025
-
General2 weeks agoARIPO, URSB Visit Mak, Discuss IP & Patenting
-
General2 weeks agoPhase 1 of e-Learning initiative at Makerere University registers remarkable achievements