20 Ugandan young engineers who went to Malaysia for science studies have returned

A team of 20 Ugandan young engineers who went to Malaysia for more studies have returned to Uganda following a successful completion of their studies in science and technology skills. The team, supported under the Presidential Initiative on Science Development, arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Wednesday, 30th April 2025, and was received by Dr. Hillary Emmanuel Musoke Kisanja, Senior Presidential Advisor in-charge of Agribusiness. “All along we've been telling you that His Excellency, the President, is very deliberate and strategic in promoting science and technology. So, he supported these young people who acquired their first degrees from Uganda to go to Malaysia for advanced technological skills in different fields. You cannot develop any country without science. So, when you hear His Excellency advocating for scientists, this is what it means,” Dr. Musoke said. He added that the State House is undertaking an initiative of setting up a national technological demonstration center in Gundu, Entebbe, for talented scientists to provide homemade solutions based on science. The team comprising two female engineers, Lynette Nazziwa and Chanda Galabuzi has been undergoing a 2-year Master’s program at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). They completed their studies in various Engineering courses such as Master of Engineering in cybersecurity, Power systems, industrial engineering, Mechanical engineering and automatic control; Master of Engineering in information technology; and Master of Engineering in mechatronics and automatic control. Ms. Galabuzi who obtained a Masters of Science in systems engineering expressed gratitude to President Museveni through the Presidential initiative on Science Development for the opportunity to acquire more skills which she believes will be very beneficial to the country in the specific areas of technology and development. “I'm grateful to be back home, and I thank the Almighty God for guiding us through this opportunity. I encourage the young girls out there not to be scared of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses because we have a big role that we have to play as women and girls. It's an interesting field that I would encourage anybody to do,” she added. Similarly, Ms. Nazziwa, who pursued a course in Masters of Engineering in mechatronics and automatic control, says they have been open to learning as engineers and will continue to carry on the heart to build the nation and practice the different skills they have learned. “Above all, we'd like to thank the government of Uganda and President Museveni for this great opportunity given to us. We do not take it for granted, and we believe that in all this, we shall be able to carry on the vision to build the nation and to see the country grow in technology and science, such that one day, Uganda is also mentioned as one of those countries that have grown in technology,” she emphasized. Mr. Tumusiime Anthony, who completed a master’s degree in cybersecurity, emphasized the importance of strong systems to protect the country’s cyberspace to address the current trending risk of revenue losses from the digital cyber hacks. “First of all, cybersecurity is how we guard our digital space as a country. Generally, in Africa, we are a bit behind in terms of digital advancement and technology, and many countries have not even set cyber frameworks for their governments to follow and be able to protect their data or even protect their citizens from cyber-related crimes. So, we need to control our digital space, and from my perspective, I'm coming with a lot of knowledge,” he said, further calling for an urgent need to formulate strong cyber security frameworks. Mr Joshua Kasirye, who has been studying Masters of Engineering in mechatronics and automatic control, said the knowledge acquired will be implemented by setting up strong systems for government agencies and institutions. The Presidential Initiative on Science Development in Uganda focuses on funding high-quality research, undergraduate science and engineering programs, and promoting industry-academia partnerships. It aims to build a skilled workforce, improve research infrastructure, and increase the adoption of scientific advancements by the industrial sector.