The Chairperson of Makerere University Council Mrs. Lorna Magara on 6th August 2019 together with Council members visited the Kiira Motors Vehicle Production Facilities in Jinja. On arrival, they were welcomed by the Executive Chairman Kiira Motors Corporation, Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa together the Company’s CEO, Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi.

Prof. Tickodri explained to Council that the Kiira Vehicle project was hatched by Makerere University lecturers and students at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), and thanked Council and Management for their innumerable support that has enabled the project to construct the production facilities.

The CEO Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi was happy to note that Council has been able to come and see the fruits their support. Mr. Musasazi led the Council on a tour of facilities which included the Main access road, and the Power line, both sponsored by Makerere University Council. He informed Council that the Kiira Motors Vehicle Production Facilities are hosted on a 100-acre piece of land of which the Assembly plant occupies 1.5 acres, expected to expand to 5.3 acres in total upon completion of the project. Mr. Musasizi further revealed to Council that production will start in 2021 with 150 Vehicles Annually and when the total facility is completed, a production of 5,000 vehicles per year is expected. “We are destined to start with the production of Buses because this is much more needed in the easing of transport for our people” Musasizi.

On the choice of location for the Plant, Mr. Musasizi said that Jinja was chosen due to its proximity to the Source of Hydroelectric Power, as well as its location along the northern corridor which makes it easy to import raw materials and export products to the market.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe thanked the Management of Kiira Motors for the big progress so far made on the establishment of the production facilities. He reechoed the importance of building synergies and good cooperation between Council, Management and Government, that has realized the establishment of a huge facility that was started as a research project by Makerere University lecturers and students. Prof. Nawangwe was also happy that the core team at the Facilities are former lecturers and students at CEDAT.

He thanked the Chairperson for accepting to tour the Kiira Motors Vehicle Production Facilities, and holding a Council meeting in Jinja after touring both the Kiira Motors site and Makerere University Jinja Campus. He further appreciated the Council initiative of reaching out to the various facilities of the University to establish the status, solve the emerging challenges and uphold the quality and standards of Makerere as a Premier university.

In her address to the hosts and members of the University Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara expressed her appreciation to the Management of Kiira Motors Corporation for providing clear evidence of success. She was also happy that the teaming up of Makerere students and researchers has demonstrated that they have the ability to transform classroom knowledge into products that can provide solutions to the country’s needs.

The Chairperson thanked the Management of Kiira Motors and Makerere University for responding to the President’s call of emphasizing science and industrialization as key factors to building social transformation, and further thanked the government of Uganda for taking up Makerere University innovations as a means of building the country’s economy. Mrs. Magara reaffirmed Council’s commitment to promoting quality and standards that will uphold Makerere’s brand and challenged Faculty to become more innovative.

Article by Public Relations Office