IP policy to give innovators full legal protection - Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has said that it is important for the government to create an environment where creativity and innovation can thrive and that individuals or groups are protected and rewarded for their creativity.

The President was on Wednesday speaking during the launch of the National Intellectual Property Policy and the Security Interest in Movable Property Registry (SIMPO) held under the theme Creating Unlimited Possibilities for Innovation and Credit Access at a ceremony held at State House, Entebbe.

"The improvement in the quality of human life and man's transition from primitive existence to modernity are attributed to the discoveries in medicine, engineering, architecture, etc. It is through the creations of the human mind that we have been able to tame nature throughout the four and a half million years of man's existence on earth. Therefore, it is crucial that individuals or groups are rewarded for their innovations," he said.

Museveni however emphasised that we cannot talk about intellectual property rights without addressing the issue of funding for scientists who are behind most of the innovations, which benefit all of us.

"Today, the whole world is waiting for scientists to develop a coronavirus vaccine and cure. Ugandan scientists are also working day and night to come up with a vaccine and cure this deadly disease. Without the work of scientists, the whole world is doomed. This explains why we should invest highly in the innovations of our scientists. They are our lifesavers when faced with natural calamities such as diseases, floods, drought, pests, etc," he said.

The President commended the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) for the policy which he described as a step in the right direction, saying it will give innovators full protection of their patents.

"Musicians suffer a lot and that is why many are running into politics. The problem has been that these talented people compose a song but as soon as it is sung, it's taken over by different groups including promoters. These musicians were not able to gain from their innovation," he said.

He said the NRM government will continue to support and protect all innovations and urged the Police to get involved in fighting this theft.

"Civil servants, political leaders, and the technical people should not allow these gaps to be there. It is not good to betray our people," he said and directed the Registration Bureau to engage in sensitisation of the masses on the issue.

The President warned against the stagnation of some of the government departments citing the PPDA that has no global outlook.

"There is stagnation in some of our systems. There is PPDA which is always busy buying posho and beans. Recently, we gave money to scientists to buy equipment for vaccines, the PPDA said the government will not pay unless you have delivered everything here. How do the manufacturers get their commitment fee? As an example, one of our planes here cost $95m, how can they manufacture a plane and deliver it without payment? Public service needs to wake up, be informed, consult, and have a global outlook," he said.

On SIMPO, the President said this will enable Ugandans to use their moveable assets as collateral to borrow money for their businesses from financial institutions.

"To most lenders, collateral means having land or a building. But if I have a thousand heads of cattle, each valued at sh1m, why would you refuse to finance my investment? The ministry of finance should wake up the banking sector. For entrepreneurship, agriculture, and industrialisation to thrive in Uganda, the Government will continue to address the issue of high lending rates amongst financial providers.

The URSB registrar general, Twebaze Bemanya said the intellectual property policy will provide direction and interventions that will enable stakeholders to work towards creating, protecting, and commercially exploiting innovations and creative works.

Twebaze said SIMPO which was rolled out in September 2019 has already recorded over 4,000 registrations with the most commonly used assets to secure loans being motor vehicles and motorcycles (bodabodas). These account for most of the property owned and pledged by borrowers including micro, small and medium enterprises.

The meeting was also addressed via link by the minister of commerce and industry of Liberia who is also the chairman of the council of ministers of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation, Prof. Wilson Tarpeh, and the minister of justice and constitutional affairs, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu.