COVID-19 was a blessing in disguise, says Deputy Speaker

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The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has stated that the outbreak of COVID-19 helped catalyse Uganda’s innovation capabilities.

According to Tayebwa, the pandemic accelerated the country’s industrialisation agenda, boosting Uganda’s prospects for increased exports.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Monica Musenero admiring some of the shoes made in Uganda. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Speaking on the final day of National Science Week 2025 at Kololo, Tayebwa noted that the crisis had sparked a renewed awareness of the importance of self-reliance.

He stressed that Uganda must reduce its dependence on imports and prioritise the production of goods for export, particularly in the healthcare sector.

“Africa imports between 70 to 90 percent of our healthcare inputs, ranging from vaccines, drugs, diagnostic kits and medical equipment, among others,” Tayebwa said. “And Uganda imports 95 percent of these. Our main focus should therefore be to reduce how much of these we import and instead export most of them.”

Tayebwa underlined the crucial role of innovation in driving economic growth and improving social well-being. He congratulated Ugandans on their achievements in innovation and urged stakeholders to invest in local production to generate high-quality goods and expand the national tax base.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr.Monica Musenero visiting one of the coffee value chain exhibitor's stall. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

The Deputy Speaker also called for a greater sense of patriotism and Pan-Africanism, encouraging Ugandans to embrace and promote locally made products. He further urged all stakeholders to intensify efforts to combat corruption and to support government economic initiatives.

According to Tayebwa, Uganda’s industrialisation efforts have been guided by the Build Uganda Buy Uganda (BUBU) policy, which seeks to promote import substitution and strengthen the economy. The policy, he said, has helped expand industrial capacity and driven a focus on value addition.

He concluded that with continued peace and security, Uganda is well-positioned to make significant economic progress through innovation and industrialisation.