Vice President for the Republic of Uganda Rtd Major Jessica Alupo officially flagged off the 2026 National Science Week at the Kololo Ceremonial Independence Grounds in Kampala on 30th April.
The vice president, representing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who was supposed to be the chief guest called upon Ugandans to embrace science, technology and innovation (STI) as critical drivers of the country’s socio-economic transformation.
The science week is enshrined along the theme “STI Works: Powering Uganda to a $500B Economy”.
She reaffirmed government’s commitment to investing in science and technology, urging young people to shift from being consumers to creators of innovation.
Modern economies are driven by knowledge which improves productivity, creates new products and builds competitive industries. Uganda must transition into a knowledge-based economy to achieve a $500 billion economy before 2040. Uganda boasts all the factors of production—land, labour and capital. What we need now is entrepreneurship to fully exploit our natural and human resources and tap into markets for our goods and services. It is unacceptable for Africa to remain weak and vulnerable. We must build scientific and technological strength to secure better livelihoods and safety for our people – Rtd Major Jesica Alupo
The four-day event, running from April 30 to May 3. It is organized by the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Secretariat, the exhibition brings together innovators, policymakers, students and industry players to showcase solutions aimed at accelerating Uganda’s industrialization.
Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Monica Musenero highlighted the long-term impact of the initiative, revealing that sustained investment in STI could reduce Uganda’s pharmaceutical import dependency by 40 percent by 2040.
“The total productive capability that now exists in Uganda’s STI ecosystem. It is valued at USD 1.52 billion. That is 4.5 times what the Government invested to create it.” – Hon. Dr Monica Musenero.
Dr Musenero announced that Uganda is developing a purpose-built Biosciences Park — a fully integrated innovation campus where researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs will live, work, and collaborate, supported by state-of-the-art laboratories, residential facilities, and shared resources to drive discovery, experimentation, and commercialization.
The science week will conclude on Sunday, 3rd May 2026.
