The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, has lauded President Museveni for creating a secure environment in Uganda that has enabled industrialization and e-mobility to prosper.
She was on Thursday addressing the 4th Presidential CEO Forum held at Kiira Motors Vehicle Plant, Jinja.
“You cannot talk about industrialization in Sudan now, you cannot talk about industrialization in Ukraine but here we are. Please join me to thank him for this secure environment,” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja stated.
“Your Excellency, the government has already implemented 18 out of the 19 key resolutions by the PCF. To me, this is a plus. I promise that as a government, these key recommendations from this retreat will also be implemented as we did for the last retreats.”
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, also expressed gratitude to the government for setting up a powerful industry- Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja.
She also thanked the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Monica Musenero and her team for their decision to make Jinja City a pilot city for the mass transportation system in the country.
“Here in Jinja, we shall have the power centre for charging electric buses and motorcycles. It will also have a ticketing point. With that, Jinja City will be a model city in Africa for e-mobility. This will also create employment opportunities for our people,” Rt. Hon. Kadaga said.
On her part, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Musenero told the President that Uganda has made tremendous strides as far as the e-mobility industry is concerned.
She said apart from making the first ever electric vehicle in Africa, Uganda is now home to the biggest electric bus production plant in Africa- Kiira Vehicle Plant, which is going to be commissioned before the end of this calendar year.
“Your Excellency, two years ago, I invited you here and you came and laid a foundation stone for the facility and since then we have made very significant progress. I want to thank you and the Ministry of Finance who responded at that time and extended extra funding which has enabled us to push the work. I want to also thank the Prime Minister for the continuous support all the time,” Dr Musenero said.
“We made the first electric vehicle designed and built in Africa- the Kiira EV in 2011 is the first ever electric vehicle built in Africa. Your Excellency, the President became arguably the first-ever head of state recorded to be driven in an Electric vehicle. The first solar-powered designed and built in Africa is the Kayoola Solar bus in 2016 built here in Uganda. The first fully electric bus designed and built in Africa is the Kayoola EVS in 2019,” she added.
The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Ramathan Ggoobi, also lauded President Museveni for his consistent commitment and resolve in promoting industrialization.
“Your Excellency, Industrialization lies at the heart of your vision and guidance you have given us as government to promote it. The target in the next 10 years is 3-fold; to make manufacturing contribute at least a third of the GDP. Currently, it contributes 16 percent. Secondly, it should employ at least 26 percent of Ugandans, currently, it employs 9 percent and thirdly, 50 percent of the exports should be manufactured, currently, its 13 percent,” said Mr Ggoobi who is also a Board Member of PCF.
“Your Excellency, all the developed nations transformed by industrializing and industry has always been the escalator sector. Industrial upgrading has never happened through market forces, the state must go beyond facilitation to incubate industries and we thank you for guiding us to do exactly that here at Kiira,” he added.
Mr. Ggoobi reaffirmed to the President that as PCF, they have been able to address most of the issues raised in the last 3 retreats (since 2021) by the private sector.
On the other hand, the PCF Chairperson-Board of Directors, Ms Barbra Mulwana, revealed that PCF was set up to create awareness and bind from the key players to drive His Excellency’s guidance on championing the e-mobility industry.
“I’m confident that the discussions and interactions here will pave the way for positive outcomes and invaluable insights for this sector as well as the way forward and backward linkages. On behalf of the PCF board, we would like to thank you, Your Excellency, for always having a special place for the private sector. Indeed, you unreservedly promote the private sector in all engagements and even in your most recent engagements in Russia and Serbia you have championed the trade in Africa value-added products,” Ms Mulwana stressed.
The Vice Chairperson of the PCF Board of Directors, Mr Emmanuel Katongole, commended President Museveni for walking the talk when it comes to promoting the country’s economy.
“During your recent travel to Russia and Serbia, we followed you in real-time, particularly watching you on UBC and NBS. About 99 percent of your speeches, you were talking about businesses and the economy. Thank you so much, Your Excellency. I was particularly touched by your meeting with President Putin. You spent time talking about this particular place, Kiira Motors on how we can develop our lithium into batteries, on how we can develop our charging system, and how we could develop our coffee beans into a finished product. That is the leadership we have come to appreciate,” Mr Katongole asserted.
The CEO/ Coordinator of PCF, Irene Birungi Mugisha, said, “Your Excellency, thank you for giving the private sector a platform to be in a position to exhibit the potential that they provide to the economic development of this country.”
The event was also attended by the Finance Minister, Hon. Matia Kasaija, Trade Minister, Hon. Francis Mwebesa, Works and Transport Minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala, Members of Parliament, State House Comptroller, Ms Jane Barekye, the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Managing Director, Lt. Gen James Mugira, among other dignitaries.
