As the National Science Week- comes to an end on November 11, 2023, Ugandan Scientists and Innovators or even those still aspiring to be, should be smiling and very jolly of the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MoSTI) for handling one of the detected cancer in Uganda’s Innovation path that probably could continue making products from innovation remain at prototype stage without hitting the market if not handled decisively.
This cancer is the definite appetite of the National Tax Collectors to tax anything including products that have not found strength and not yet 
grounded in the market to be taxed but also the ignorance of other Regulatory Bodies like the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) on products from innovations.
All this will become history if implemented because the daring Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, Dr Musenero Monica confronted the cancer in front of the Country’s Chief Executive in a spirited statement.
“Your Excellency, Regulatory Agencies are not familiar with innovation and they support what is known hence Innovators are complaining that they are being taxed, this practice would totally destroy the vision of using Science Technology, and Innovation as a key driver to Economic Development”. Dr Musenero submitted this as one of her challenges within the Ministry.
This shot landed carefully in the ears of His Excellency, President Yoweri Museveni Kaguta who had traveled very happily in arms with the First Lady and the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni Kataaha to grace the Science Week at Kololo Independence Ground on Thursday.
Indeed, the Principal had no kind words for those attempting to tax scientists and innovators in Uganda.
“Why do you tax a baby, there is no logic in taxing innovation when you give tax holidays to some established enterprises”
The tough-talking President who threatened any tax collector attempting to tax any Ugandan innovators with imprisonment at Luzira Maximum Prison added that all scientists and innovators must be given 10 years, as their products find root in the market.
He also agreed that the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation gets special funding to continue supporting scientists and innovators in the country, as an approach to transform the economy by supporting Ugandan-made products solving problems.
According to the President, the Government of Uganda is currently strategically apportioning funds where returns and impact would be felt especially in the economy and within the populace adding that such deliberate calculated spending was the driving force for the One trillion Uganda Shillings appropriated in Parish Development Model (PDM)
He agreed that the Ministry of Science Technology (STI) could have their requested UGX 500 Billion annually but advised the Minister to also have an open mind to see how to bring private partners in adding more to support STI in the country.
This particular response came after, Minister Musenero put up another moving statement about how the funds under her Ministry are not enough to sustain and continuously support scientists and innovators in the country to develop products ready for the market as the vision of MoSTI.
The Minister also did not disappoint after presenting to the president over 70 investors that some of them already found products at the exhibition booth in Kololo and already signed contracts with the innovators. This pleased the President who called them for a group photo and advised them to continue bringing their rich friends to invest in Uganda. ‘Uganda already has enough poor people, please bring other rich people to invest in Uganda’. The President joked.
Voices of some Innovators from Northern Uganda on the Proposed Tax Holiday:
Innovators including Associate Professor, Echodu Richard and Okwoko Peter, the Co-Founder of Takataka Plastics showed excitement that the pronouncements of the President would encourage and challenge them to do more.
Prof.Echodu said many Western countries are in the look for innovations hence if they are not protected they would be forced to sell their technologies to the Western world and Uganda would be forced to buy and use them very expensively rendering the head of state intervention vital for Uganda innovation’s future.
Okwoko Peter added that the President’s statement needs to be transformed into a policy that would be fair even to innovators from private or non-profit entities as far as removing taxes from importing machinery that would support this innovation path in the country.
“If private entities importing equipment that would support social change and environmental sustainability for local manufacturing in Uganda are waived of the importation taxes also, would balance the support on the side of private innovators beyond just the tax holiday for the products’’.
Prof.Openjuru George Ladaah, the Gulu University Vice-Chancellor who doubles as the Chairperson of Uganda Vice-Chancellors Forum, told the Elephants that University Authorities rally behind the President’s pronouncement although they call for immediate implementation to encourage out of Laboratories products with confidence of no taxation or primary disorganization from any Regulatory Body.
The Investors Summit:
The Science Week ‘running under the theme ’Our Science Led Journey Towards Socio-Economic Transformation’ ending on the 11th of November has 267 exhibitors who are ready for the market according to the Minister of Science Technology and Innovation.
Another big event for the week is the investors’ summit happening on November 10, 2023, where all the investors would converge and discuss investments in Uganda but with the assurance of meeting the President on November 9th, many innovators should have hope of getting an impactful partnership.
Ends
Audio File one: The-Elephants-Caught-up-with-the-Minister-of-STI-Dr-Monica-Musenero-after-the-Presidents-Speech-From-Kololo-Eng
Audio File Two: Prof.-Echodu-Richard-one-of-the-Innovators-from-Gulu-University-explains-why-the-Tax-Holidays-is-Important-Eng
