Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | After a tough day of pitching ideas, four winning innovators walked away with UGX77m each from UNICEF to boost their capacity to provide solutions to socio-economic challenges affecting children mainly. The winning teams are SeatPack, Safe Water Harvester, KAINO Africa and Fine Reed innovates. They will also …
Read More »Lack of funds leave scientists stranded with innovations
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Innovators in Uganda are failing to tap into the market with their technology due to lack of funds. The innovators are now asking the government to change its approach so that their prototype ideas are transformed into products that can be commercialized into the Ugandan …
Read More »KENYATTA: Kenya hinging on digital technologies to transform economy post-COVID
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | President Uhuru Kenyatta has hailed the contribution of digital technologies to Kenya’s transformation saying ICTs are helping the country to create employment opportunities for its youth and enhance delivery of public services. The president observed that digital technologies have enabled African governments and the …
Read More »Uganda rolls out National Single Registry for social protection
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has launched government’s National Single Registry for Social Protection. This ushers in a new dawn of planning, implementation and monitoring of social protection programmes in the country. The Registry is a digital platform that consolidates information …
Read More »Is Uganda’s Biometric Voter Verification System ready?
Rakai polling officials struggle to master Biometric Voter Verification System Rakai, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | With just hours to the elections, several polling officials from different sub-counties in Rakai District say they didn’t fully understand how to use the Biometric Voter Verification System (BVVS) after a two-day’s training session they …
Read More »UN says private sector key to realize sustainability agenda in Africa
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | African governments should leverage capital, technology and manpower from industry to hasten realization of sustainability agenda and pandemic recovery in the continent, a senior UN official said on Thursday. Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy secretary-general, said that targeted investments from Africa’s indigenous businesses are required to …
Read More »The making of Uganda’s national 4IR strategy
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPNDENT | Uganda’s National Expert Taskforce on the 4IR has released a draft report on a planned strategy to guide the country in achieving the vision of becoming a 4IR hub and competitive upper middle-income country by 2040. The taskforce was launched by President Yoweri Museveni in …
Read More »Innovation critical to combat COVID-19, economic recovery – Ramaphosa
Pretoria, South Africa | XINHUA | Innovation, science and technology would be handy in defeating COVID-19 and rebuilding world economies, said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa’s speech was read by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande on Friday at a virtual science and innovation conference …
Read More »Expert warns Europe of “American trap” over Huawei ban
Madrid, Spain | XINHUA | Europe should resist U.S. pressure to isolate China and remain independent in its decision making in the face of so-called security concerns, a Spanish expert has said. “If the U.S. wants to include Europe in its ‘anti-China’ strategy because it does not want anyone to …
Read More »Generation Z: creative and committed, against the virus
Paris, France | AFP | With their art, technology know-how, creative social networking skills or political commitment, post-millennials, known as Generation Z, have found their own ways to help others through the coronavirus lockdown. From Colombia to Senegal, Malaysia to North Macedonia, AFP talked to a group of 15- to 24-year-olds, …
Read More »