By Sarah Achen Kibisi
A team of American technology investors sponsored by Amazon co-founder, Jeff Bezos has shown keen interest to invest in Uganda particularly in the Information, Communication (ICT) sector.
The group is from Mark43 a technology company whose objective is to support communities and their governments with new technologies with an aim to improve the safety and quality of life for all.
The American team was ushered into the country by the East African Partners (EAP) Managing director, Isaac Kigozi who took them through a number of Uganda’s vast investment opportunities.
Kigozi said that the team is in the country to find ways of exporting advanced technology into the country as well interact with the youth interested in the ICT sector.
They were led by Florian Mayr, Co-Founder & Vice President of Solution Architecture Matthew Polega Mark43 Co-Founder & Head of Marketing, and Mark Duane Roylance.
They have since held meetings with President Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, the Minister of Tourism in Busoga Kingdom, Hellen Namutamba.
Kigozi noted that during the meeting with the president on Sunday 26th, January 2020, the President commended the youthful Americans for choosing Uganda as an investment destination as well as focusing on advancing the country technology in a number of sectors.
While meeting with the delegation, the Minister, Evelyn Anite welcomed the team and interested them to invest in the country’s oldest telecom company the Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).
Anite is optimistic that the team has all that it takes to offer any technological services that are needed to revive the telecom company.
“We welcome you to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, a country with enormous investment opportunities in technology, Agriculture, Tourism, Oil and gas, Education, Health and other sector; we welcome you to take interest in any of the sectors and government is ready to offer you any kind of support,” Anite said.
Mathew Polega noted that the company will as well collaborate with government to train and equip youth in the country with new technologies that are tailored towards offering solutions to prevailing problems as well as making good use of social media.
“The biggest successful technology world over is the existence of the cloud, the use of internet; any idea turned into an application (App) can be a basis of a good technology. All enterprising companies need consumer technology and Social Media is one way companies engage with users of their products; you always want to develop solutions that will help you engage with your customers to know what they think about your products and social media is a great platform, it helps companies know what customers think about their products and that they care,” Polega said.
Mark Duane Roylance said that indeed Africa has got a number of opportunities with growing economies, a lot untapped potential with dynamic population which guarantees a successful investment.
