NAIROBI – The Director of Kenya School of Law, Prof PLO Lumumba, has said that it is only through science and innovation that Africa can liberate itself from underdevelopment.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony of International University of East Africa in Kampala on Thursday, Prof Lumumba said Africa is headed into becoming the next “factory of the world” after China.
“But to become the factory of the world, we must muscle up our intellectual and innovation capacity. And this ceremony reminds me that Africa is in the right path,” he said.
According to Lumumba, it is perplexing that Africa can’t feed itself despite the vast arable land, calling upon graduates to lead the way through innovations.
“It is about science and innovation that we can feed ourselves as Africa and the world,” he said.
The Law don tasked universities to lead the innovation.
“It is the right time that we create Afrocentric social media applications. Facebook, twitter and Whatsapp that are are Afrocentric. Some of these popular apps like Uber are controlled by foreigners who take all the benefits every time we use it to reach taxis,” he said.
The private university released 500 graduates.
Prof Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, the university chancellor, hailed the graduates and lecturers for working hard to make IUEA one of the most innovative private universities in the region.
“Today marks yet another milestone in your journey to become technically proficient professionally sound individuals who will contribute significantly to the growth of your families, nation and the globe,” Mutebile told graduates.
IUEA innovation laboratory has received international accolades for innovations and innovative learning promoted by the institution, according to Mutebile.
“With the demonstrated capability, IUEA is developing local technologies that solve global problems. The innovation approach to learning also tallies well with government interest of mainstreaming research and development,” Mutebile said.
