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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Covilyce 1, a herbal concoction produced by Gulu University for COVID-19 treatment was on Sunday announced as one of the top three products exhibited at the 21st East African Community Micro and Small Enterprise Trade Expo held in Mwanza Province, Tanzania.
Gulu University followed Geoffrey Kiiro from Kenya who was the best in the East African Community with his crafts and wood creative design. while Kavimo Limited that deals in textile and fabrics from Tanzania came third.
Ruth Simba, the head of the panel of 12 judges said that Covilyce herb demonstrated clear creativity and innovations towards curbing COVID-19, which negatively affected businesses across the globe.
The judges also commented that the Gulu University innovation sets clear zeal that every problem can be solved with local raw materials, adding that the University has challenged all Universities across the region being the only higher institution of learning that was available amongst the business community at the 10 days trade expo.
Prof George Openjuru Ladaah, the Gulu University Vice-Chancellor lauded the University team for winning the award, saying that this is a bold step that would challenge them to do more in solving community problems aligned with community transformational agenda as a philosophical approach to societal challenges.
Gulu University Secretary, Obol David Otori on hearing the news, said the award is a big investment to Uganda as a country and way forward to expediting clinical trial on the herbal remedy for COVID-19.
Godfrey Tukamubona, the Principal Officer of Small and Medium Enterprise in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and the Coordinator of Uganda Exhibitors in Mwanza, said that Uganda alone flagged off 134 exhibitors from different sectors including herbal, carpentry, leather products, food processing and culture to participate in the expo.
“As Uganda, we are looking forward to hosting the 22nd EAC exhibition and this result is motivating and we expect to have more than 500 Ugandans participating”, Tukamubona said. This year’s exhibition premised on the theme: ‘’Promoting Quality and Innovation to Enhance EAC MSMES Competitiveness and Post COVID-19 Recovery’’, saw National Arts and Cultures in second position and Atiak Sugar Out Growers Cooperative Society Limited from Amuru district third amongst 134 Ugandan exhibitors.
EAC exhibition last took place in 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda before COVID-19 hampered the exhibition in 2020. Uganda is the official host of next year’s exhibition involving all the member states of Kenya, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
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