President Yoweri Museveni has received a group of innovators and manufacturers that will spearhead the transition of the country from the use of fossil fuels to E-Mobility.
The group that was led by the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Musenero included private sector players, University researchers on E-Mobility, financiers as well as service delivery players
President Museveni highly commended the group for their efforts in fabricating and manufacturing vehicles and pikipikis here in the country.
He noted that this will not only promote the use of clean energy and stop pollution but will also in the long run provide cheaper vehicles.
“We don’t want to hear of assembling, assembling is out of date. So on one hand we will use clean energy and stop pollution and on the other hand we are now finding out that electric vehicles are cheaper in the long run,” he noted.
President Museveni noted that the move will shift the country from the use of fuel energy to electric clean energy that will involve big buses of the sitting capacity of 90 passengers and mini buses as well as electric pikipikis.
I was happy to meet a group of manufacturers, fabricators, entrepreneurs and managers of mass transport entities committed to pioneering the migration from fossil fuels to electric-powered transportation. pic.twitter.com/zaZysn21Xp
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) September 20, 2022
He said this will also decongest the city that is flooded with small vehicles as well as bodabodas as commuters will abandon their cars in favor of the buses whose fares will be pocket friendly.
President Museveni however pointed out that although Uganda will be processing its oil in a few years to come, this will not stop the effort of having clean energy.
He added that the oil will be used for textiles, polyesters, plastics, aviation fuel and fertilizers among others.
While the plans for the oil resource remain intact as I have said previously, the medium to long-term strategy is to develop electric-powered mass transport and reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. pic.twitter.com/gp7768JVdW
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) September 20, 2022
He therefore strongly encouraged members of the group to move in the sectors of fabricating and manufacturing adding that the only challenge now is the manufacture of electric batteries that must be manufactured in the country as all the required materials are available. He pledged governments support in this endeavor.
“Batteries now is a very crucial step. We shall give you all the support,” he assured members of the group. “In the medium term we shall have to make the batteries here, so I am very glad to hear that there is some body among you who is already involved in electric batteries,” the President noted.
President Museveni disclosed that the government will soon develop a vertically integrated Industry in steel manufacturing as the country has a high grade of iron ore,70% pure, the best in the world next to that of Peru which is only 58 %.
