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Kampala, Uganda – Monday, September 7, 2026

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has strengthened its collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) following a two-day technical engagement aimed at enhancing Uganda’s participation in international electrotechnical standardization and conformity assessment.

The engagement brought together experts from the IEC Regional Office for Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya, and members of Uganda’s National Committee of the IEC who also serve as UNBS technical officers, focusing on building the capacity of Uganda’s IEC National Committee and Secretariat and equipping stakeholders with practical knowledge on how to derive greater value from Uganda’s IEC membership.

Uganda became an IEC Associate Member in 2020, giving the country access to the IEC catalogue of international standards and opportunities to participate in the development and review of international electrotechnical standards. These standards can subsequently be adopted as national standards and provide a basis for ensuring the safety, quality and performance of electrical and electronic products on the Ugandan market.

The UNBS Executive Director who also doubles as the Secretary of Uganda’s National Committee of the IEC, Eng. James Kasigwa, emphasized that effective implementation of IEC standards is important for both consumer protection and environmental sustainability, particularly as Uganda experiences increasing use and importation of electrical and electronic products.

“This is about consumer protection, safe trade and environmental protection. We must ensure that products entering the Ugandan market are safe and comply with the requirements of the relevant standards. As our economies become increasingly electrified and digitized, we must also pay attention to the environmental implications of electrical and electronic products, including electronic waste,” he said.

UNBS has so far adopted more than 288 IEC standards covering areas including electrical appliances, cables, e-mobility, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, lighting and renewable energy technologies. More than 99 percent of the standards applied in the UNBS electrical laboratory for testing cables, household appliances, solar panels and switchgear are IEC-based, with a focus on safety and performance.

The Ag. Manager Standards at UNBS, Dr. Safina Namugga Ngobya, appreciated the IEC team for the engagement, noting that Uganda needs to further leverage its membership to strengthen implementation of standards, particularly for electronics and electric products, and power systems imported into the country.

The Senior Standards Officer in charge of Electrotechnical Technology at UNBS, Ms. Winnie Grace Onziru, noted that the practical training on IEC conformity assessment was particularly important because Uganda had not previously had an opportunity to receive comprehensive guidance on how to maximize the benefits of its IEC membership since joining in 2020.

The engagement also focused on IEC conformity assessment schemes training, including schemes relating to electrical appliances, renewable energy and explosive environments. This knowledge will support UNBS import inspection and market surveillance teams, as well as Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) service providers, to identify genuine conformity assessment claims and strengthen efforts to prevent counterfeit and substandard electrical and electronic products from entering the Ugandan market.

The IEC Regional Director for Africa, François Ahoti, said the IEC Regional Centre, established in 2015 and based in Nairobi, supports African members through capacity building and technical assistance.

“Uganda has been an IEC Associate Member since 2020, and we are here to offer support in building capacity and benefiting more from the IEC membership. Our role is to help members participate in international standardization and strengthen the conformity assessment systems they use in Africa,” Ahoti said.

He emphasized that African countries need to participate in international standardization and strengthen conformity assessment systems to ensure products entering their markets are safe and fit for purpose.

IEC work directly impacts more than 20% of goods traded globally, including electrical and electronic products, primary energy and vehicles. The IEC estimates that electrical and electronic devices account for approximately 23.8% (approximately USD 5,260 trillion) of global trade, demonstrating the significant role of electrotechnical standards in facilitating safe and sustainable trade.

The engagement is expected to strengthen Uganda’s participation in international standardization, enhance technical capacity in conformity assessment and support effective implementation of electrotechnical standards to protect consumers, facilitate safe trade and promote sustainable development.

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KAMPALA — Businessman Godfrey Kirumira and businessman Sudhir Ruparelia have endorsed Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as their preferred next  President of Uganda, according to a post by Henry Basaliza.

Basaliza, in a post on X on Monday, September 7, 2026, thanked the two businessmen for joining what he described as their cause and backing Kainerugaba as “the next President of Uganda.”

“Thank you Mr. Godfrey Kirumira and Mr. Sudhir Ruparelia for joining our cause and endorsing Gen. @mkainerugaba as the next President of Uganda,” Basaliza wrote.

He described the endorsement as a strong expression of confidence in Kainerugaba’s leadership, vision and commitment to Uganda’s future.

“Together we remain united in building a stronger, more prosperous and patriotic Uganda,” Basaliza added.

The post was accompanied by photographs showing Kirumira and Ruparelia signing documents associated with the Patriotic League of Uganda, whose branding is visible in the background.

The endorsement adds the names of two prominent businessmen to the growing public discussion around Kainerugaba’s political ambitions and possible succession to the presidency.

Kainerugaba, Uganda’s First Son, who currently serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, has increasingly featured in political discussions ahead of the country’s future leadership transition.

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Makerere University has officially launched construction of a Shs96.6 billion facility for its College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), marking a major infrastructure milestone for one of the institution’s fastest-growing colleges.

The university handed over the construction site to Roko Construction Ltd during a ceremony held on September 4. The new building, spanning 15,000 square metres, will be funded by the government and will house teaching spaces, research facilities, and graduate training areas for CoBAMS.

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Speaking at the handover, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe described the occasion as a defining moment in the university’s history. He traced CoBAMS’ origins back to its split from the former Faculty of Social Sciences, noting that the college has since expanded into one of Makerere’s largest, with growing student numbers straining its current, scattered facilities.

Nawangwe said the consolidated complex would finally give the college a unified home suited to its scale, adding that with its expanding roster of programmes and consistently high demand among students, CoBAMS could soon overtake other colleges to become the university’s largest.

Roko Construction’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Koehler, addressed the company’s history of project delays directly, telling attendees that Roko had taken past criticism about slow delivery to heart. He committed the firm to balancing its reputation for quality workmanship with a firm focus on meeting agreed timelines for this project, while urging strong coordination between the university, the design consultant, and the contractor — particularly around prompt decision-making and steady funding flows.

Design Built for Longevity

Pius Muli, Managing Director of project consultant Symbion Uganda Limited, outlined the building’s scope, which will include administrative offices, academic facilities, and shared social and extracurricular spaces. He said Symbion had spent several months collaborating with university management to shape a design brief that reflects the college’s actual needs, and emphasized that sustainability was central to the plan so the facility would not become a costly maintenance burden in years to come.

Ambitions for Global Standing

CoBAMS Principal Prof. Edward Bbaale framed the project as a springboard for the college’s international reputation, expressing confidence that once finished, it would rank among the world’s leading centres for business, economics, and statistics education.

Nawangwe echoed that optimism, praising the architectural plans and suggesting that if construction matches the submitted designs, the project could reshape Makerere’s physical campus altogether.