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Government of Uganda @GovUganda on x 549.7K followers
Created: 2025-07-25 08:21:31 UTC
๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ At the official launch of the Bala Initiative under the theme One Student, One Computer, Malinga, a co-founder of Maticent Industries, urged stakeholders to support local innovations aimed at addressing Africaโs digital challenges.
Addressing students, government officials, private sector representatives, and development partners, Malinga reflected on the companyโs humble beginnings. He shared that Maticent Industries was born out of a student project more than XX years ago when Mr.
Alpha, then a student at Makerere University, developed a mini computer program to support student needs. That innovation laid the foundation for the tech company being celebrated today.
Malinga noted that Maticent Industries has grown into a manufacturer of high-performance computers and a provider of IT services tailored to sectors such as education, agriculture, banking, and telecommunications. โOur mission is to empower Africa by offering innovative solutions that address the diverse needs of our people,โ he said.
He emphasized that despite the value of computers in todayโs digital age, adoption remains low due to high prices and the prevalence of low-quality products on the market.
โThese challenges motivated us to create Maticent Industries to produce high-quality, affordable computers, and to offer flexible payment plans that match our customersโ financial situations.โ
He explained that Maticentโs computers are specially designed to suit Africaโs unique environment, including coping with unreliable electricity. โWe all know how power can go off at any moment. Our machines are built with that in mind,โ he said.
The launch featured the unveiling of the Bbala Initiative, aimed at enabling students to access computers through affordable installment plans. Malinga mentioned that the companyโs CEO, Mr. Basho, would later provide detailed information on how students could enroll in the program.
Beyond students, Malinga announced a second initiative targeting farmer cooperatives. He observed that most cooperatives still rely on paper to manage critical functions like distributing inputs and paying farmers. โDigitizing these operations through computers can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and ultimately increase yields,โ he said.
Looking to the future, Malinga revealed that Maticent Industries is setting up a local production and assembly facility to serve Uganda and the wider region including Congo, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania. The plant is expected to create hundreds of direct jobs in engineering, marketing, and logistics.
In a bid to strengthen the local supply chain, Maticent is also partnering with local vendors to provide computer parts and accessories, including the bags housing the laptops showcased at the event. This approach, Malinga said, would help generate indirect jobs and promote local enterprise.
He further stressed the companyโs commitment to youth empowerment and job creation. โMany graduates leave university with limited opportunities. We want to create valuable employment for them, and weโre aligning our efforts with government programs,โ he said.
Maticent also plans to partner with other institutions to launch vocational training and IT skilling programs targeting youth and women. โWe believe that empowering these groups will unlock untapped talent and drive economic growth,โ Malinga said.
He called upon all stakeholdersfrom the private sector and government to nonprofits and development partners to rally behind the initiatives being launched. โLet us work together to promote digital inclusion and unlock the potential of our communities,โ he said.
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