Parliament’s Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation has urged Makerere University to accelerate the commercialisation of research innovations. The Committee members on Thursday expressed concern that significant public investment has yet to generate commensurate economic returns.
The committee made the observations during an oversight meeting with officials from Makerere University’s Research and Innovation Fund (RIF), which has received 100 billion Shillings in government funding over the past four years to support research and innovation across various sectors.
Committee Chairperson Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kole North, said Parliament recognised the university’s achievements in research but remained concerned that many innovations were failing to move beyond the laboratory.
“Our mandate is to monitor public entities involved in science, technology and innovation. We have seen impressive research outputs, but the real challenge is translating these innovations into commercial products that generate value for the country,” Acuti said.
According to the committee, the fund has supported 1,337 researchers through competitive grants covering agriculture, health, engineering, education, public sector transformation and other fields. The research has produced numerous prototypes, patents and innovations with commercial potential.
Among the notable successes highlighted was the development of a drought-resistant, early-maturing soya bean variety now being grown in different parts of Uganda.
The committee also cited innovations involving the conversion of petrol-powered vehicles and motorcycles into electric mobility solutions.
Despite these achievements, Parliament noted that the overall return on public investment remains below expectations. The committee noted that more than 150 innovation projects have been developed, with an estimated 30 to 40 considered ready for commercialisation.
However, many remain stalled because of inadequate financing to establish start-up companies, scale production and enter the market. “We do not want these innovations to remain in laboratories. We want to see them in supermarkets, on our roads, in our farms and in our industries solving real problems,” Acuti added.
Parliament also identified budget reductions and delayed release of government funds as major obstacles affecting research implementation.
While the Research and Innovation Fund initially received 30 billion Shillings annually, allocations were reduced to 20 billion Shillings in the third and fourth years. The committee heard that the cuts disrupted multi-year projects, including clinical trials for a locally developed malaria treatment.
Researchers explained that delayed funding also affects procurement of specialised equipment and laboratory reagents, extending project timelines and slowing innovation.
The committee observed that sustained and predictable financing is essential for research programmes requiring several years to complete.
Another recommendation from Parliament was to expand research funding beyond Makerere University to regional public universities.
Christine Apolot, the Kumi District Woman MP, said institutions across Northern, Eastern, Western and West Nile regions should also benefit from government innovation funding to encourage locally driven research and harness indigenous knowledge.
“We want research and innovation spread across the country rather than being concentrated in one institution. Regional universities can contribute solutions tailored to the unique challenges facing their communities,” he said.
The committee urged Makerere University to align more of its research with Uganda’s pressing development priorities.
Among the areas identified were climate-smart agriculture, including drought-resistant crop varieties, irrigation technologies and improved seed systems to address the growing effects of climate change.
The committee also encouraged increased investment in research targeting non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension, while continuing efforts against malaria and other infectious diseases.
In engineering, Parliament called for stronger collaboration with Uganda’s informal manufacturing sector to improve product quality, standards and export potential.
The committee further identified artificial intelligence as an emerging priority, recommending research into smart traffic management, weather forecasting, flood monitoring and disaster early-warning systems.
Responding to the committee, Prof. Robert Wamala, Director of Research, Innovations and Partnerships at Makerere University, said the institution welcomed parliamentary oversight and remained committed to accountability for public resources.
“As a public university, we receive public funding and it is expected that Parliament monitors how those resources are utilised,” Wamala said.
He rejected suggestions that Makerere’s research quality was inadequate, noting that the university operates ten research ethics committees, robust grants management systems and multiple accountability mechanisms to monitor research performance.
Prof. Wamala emphasised that the university’s greatest challenge is not generating innovations but securing investment to move successful projects from research into commercial production.
Among the projects highlighted was the PROMISE productivity measurement system developed in partnership with the Ministry of Public Service to improve performance monitoring across government.
He also showcased Ocular, an artificial intelligence-powered diagnostic system developed by the Makerere AI Lab. The technology combines smartphone imaging, low-cost 3D-printed microscope adapters and AI algorithms to assist diagnosis of malaria, tuberculosis and cervical cancer.
The system is currently being piloted in more than 20 health facilities across Uganda and is being integrated with the Ministry of Health’s electronic reporting systems to improve disease surveillance and real-time reporting.
Researchers said the innovation has potential for adoption across other African countries facing similar disease burdens.
While acknowledging Makerere University’s growing research portfolio, Parliament maintained that future success will be measured by the extent to which innovations reach the market and contribute to Uganda’s economic transformation.
The committee indicated it would continue advocating increased investment in commercialisation, start-up financing and technology transfer to ensure publicly funded research delivers measurable national returns-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
