Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has encouraged higher education students to focus on innovative solutions that can generate employment opportunities. Tayebwa made this call during his address at the Youth and Innovation Expo 2023, held at Makerere University under the theme “Fostering Innovation for Uganda’s Transformational Development.”
At the event, hosted by Makerere University and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and MTN Uganda, over 300 young individuals showcased their innovative projects aimed at exploring avenues for commercialization. The expo featured a student-inspired fashion show, displays of student innovations, and exhibitions showcasing successful innovation-to-enterprise transitions from the Youth for Business program across all ten university colleges and other institutions.
Tayebwa highlighted that many young people often spend considerable time complaining about existing policies instead of dedicating themselves to creating innovations that could positively impact their lives. He commended UNDP for providing youth with the opportunity to present their innovations and emphasized the importance of innovation over complacency.
Massimiliano Mazzanti, the Ambassador of Italy to Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, expressed his admiration for the innovative potential of Uganda’s youth, acknowledging their significant demographic representation. He stressed the need for aligning international support and donor projects with Uganda’s national development plans.
Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, underlined the university’s commitment to empowering research and innovation to enable students to establish their enterprises and combat unemployment.
Among the showcased innovations, Godfrey Sengozi demonstrated the use of eggshell waste and sand to produce wall and floor tiles, stemming from his final year project. Sengozi has since established a company producing more than 200 tiles daily.
Jacob Eyeru, Chairperson of the National Youth Council, called upon the government to create a favorable environment for young innovators by safeguarding them from direct competition with large companies during bidding processes. He suggested that the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) allocate specific projects to youths under 30 years of age to foster their growth.
Robert Maseruka, Makerere University Guild President, encouraged students to explore all types of innovations without gender-based limitations, urging them to seize every opportunity as they embark on their journey of innovation and entrepreneurship.
