By Diana kintu
Uganda hosted the 11th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and the 9th African Engineering Conference in Munyonyo, Kampala, bringing together over a thousand engineers, experts, and leaders from across Africa and beyond. The conference highlighted how engineering and technology can drive Africa’s rapid development.
In a message delivered by Speaker Anitah Among, President Museveni stressed that Africa can achieve major progress if its people take charge of their future. He said engineers are central to this transformation—driving innovation, building infrastructure, and improving lives. Museveni noted that while humans have long struggled against control by others and by nature, science and technology provide the tools to shape progress.
The President observed that Africa has lagged behind global scientific advances, missing the First Industrial Revolution, which introduced machines, and the Second, which brought electricity. He urged Africans to build scientific and technological capacity to improve livelihoods and security, and to embrace a modern, knowledge-driven society with a strong middle class, skilled workers, and a diverse economy based on agriculture, industry, services, and information technology.
The conference featured workshops, public awareness events, mentorship sessions, and technical discussions, showcasing how engineers are solving real-world problems. It also promoted collaboration among engineers, educators, and leaders to support the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Hosting the event was also a milestone for Uganda’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. The Uganda Convention Bureau, under the Uganda Tourism Board, partnered with the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers to win the hosting bid—demonstrating Uganda’s growing capacity to hold major international events. With more than 1,000 participants, the conference also boosted the local economy.
Uganda recently hosted the 11th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week and the 9th African Engineering Conference in Munyonyo, Kampala. This important event brought together over a thousand engineers, experts, and leaders from across Africa and beyond. The main goal of the conference was to show how engineering and new technology can help Africa grow and develop rapidly.
During the conference, President Museveni’s message, delivered by Speaker Anitah Among, stressed that Africa is ready for a big leap forward if its people take charge of its progress. He explained that engineers are key to this, driving new ideas, building important structures, and improving lives across the continent. The President pointed out that for a long time, mankind has struggled against being controlled by other people and by nature. He said that science and technology are the tools that help humans control nature, moving us away from simply surviving by instinct and old beliefs.
The President also highlighted that Africa has not kept up with the big scientific changes that have improved life in other parts of the world. He noted that Africa missed out on the First Industrial Revolution, which brought machines to replace human muscle power, and the Second Industrial Revolution, which introduced electricity. The Uganda Tourism Board emphasized the importance of building scientific and technological strength to ensure better lives and safety for Ugandans and all Africans. He encouraged everyone to finally join the “bus of history” and build a modern, science-driven society with a strong middle class, skilled workers, and a fully functioning economy focused on agriculture, industry, services, and information technology.
The conference itself featured various activities including workshops, public awareness events, mentorship sessions, and technical discussions. These activities showed how engineers are solving real-world problems and also encouraged more cooperation between engineers, educators, and leaders to support the African Union’s plans for development by the year 2063.
Hosting this major event is also a big success for Uganda’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. The Uganda Convention Bureau (UCB), a part of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), worked with the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) to win the bid to host this important conference. This shows Uganda’s growing ability to host large international events. With over 1,000 participants, the conference has also boosted the local economy.