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Uganda records first-ever mobile phone exports
Investment Minister Anite flagging off SIMI phones for export
The State Minister for Investment and Privatisation Evelyn Anite yesterday Saturday May 23, flagged of Uganda’s very first export batch of mobile phone handsets destined for the North African country of Morocco.
While Speaking from the Namanve-bassed SIMI Mobile factory, Anite said the batch contained 18,000 mobile phone units that included yet undisclosed number of Smart Phones.
Through a tweet, the Minister said: “This morning, I had the pleasure of flagging off the first batch of Ugandan made mobile phones manufactured by Uganda’s first phone manufacturing plant (SIMI Technologies) to Morocco.”
She added: “This is a step towards reducing Uganda’s import bill on ICT products and boosting export earnings.”
According to Anite, the company currently provides employment to over 400 youths.
The Chinese-owned company was launched by President Yoweri Museveni late last year with a promise to manufacture mobile phones and laptops.
SIMI Smart Phones
With the advent of COVID-19, the company has revealed plans to venture into the production of digital temperature-measuring guns.
Although SIMI mobile handsets have been on the Ugandan market for more than two years now, they are still struggling to become a house hold name. Other Chinese brands particularly Tecno, currently rule the market.
Some people argue that this could be down to an inferiority complex, shared by many people not only in Uganda, that home-made products are sometimes of poor quality. Even Jesus Christ commented about this when he said: “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.”
Simi also produces ‘dumb’ phones
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