Uganda has flagged off the exportation of its first batch of locally made mobile phones, to Morocco.
The five-million U.S dollar firm, SIMI which is under Chinese electronics company Engo Holdings Group Limited, was launched by president Yoweri Museveni in November last year to manufacture phones and laptop computers under the country’s program of supporting local factories under a program dubbed Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU).
The factory with capacity of producing 2,000 phones, 1500 smart phones, 4000 sets of earphones, 2000 chargers and 4000 USB cables.
According to Uganda’s State minister for Investment and Privatisation, Evelyn Anite,SIMI Technologies is employing over 400 youth stressing that the plant will also contribute to Uganda’s economic growth and development of the country but it was immensely helping in building local capacity through transfer of knowledge and skills.
Other than mobile phones, SIMI Technologies has also started manufacturing protective eyewear and affordable Digital Temperature Guns which will go for as low as 50,000 Ugandan Shillings, a development that is likely to boost the country’s efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic.