Uganda Telecommunications Limited (UTL) and Xinlan, a Chinese manufacturer have entered a partnership to manufacture mobile handset phones in Uganda using the locally available raw materials like Coltrane.
According to an official statement, the cooperation between UTL and Xinlan targets to expand research in the information and technology sector in Uganda.
Xinlan Company manufactures mobile phone sets such as those branded Huawei and Samsung.
The development was revealed as President Yoweri Museveni met with a UTL official named Bemanya Twebaze and State Minister for Investment, Evelyn Anite at State House in Entebbe.
During the meeting, a prototype of a cellular mobile phone handset to be locally manufactured in Uganda was presented.
Officials, however, did not disclose how they intend to implement the project in the statement.
The initiative comes at a time when the government is stepping up efforts to funds innovators in the country.
Through the National ICT Initiatives Support Program (NIISP), the ministry of ICT and National Guidance is boosting a number of start-ups, including recently where 12 innovators were picked to receiving funding for their innovations.
Shs13 billion was earmarked by the government as innovation fund.
The ministry with the help of Ugandan army engineers is also constructing the first government-owned innovation hub in Kampala, where according to ICT and National Guidance minister Frank Tumwebaze, free workspace will be provided to young innovators.
