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The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation officially launched a national youth hackathon as part of the activities leading up to the 2026 National Science Week, which is scheduled to begin April 30 at Kololo Independence Grounds.
The weeklong celebration will bring together innovators, researchers and students from across the country. The hackathon is designed to ignite youth participation in innovation and problem-solving for national development.
The hackathon began today at Kabira Country Club in Bukoto, Kampala, attracting 10 youth groups selected from across Uganda. Participants are showcasing innovative ideas and technological solutions aimed at addressing some of the country’s most pressing challenges.
Cathy Muhumuza, the ministry’s head of support services, said the competition drew overwhelming interest from young innovators nationwide.
We received more than 250 applications from youth groups eager to participate in the hackathon, but only 10 groups were selected, she said.
Muhumuza explained that each group has been assigned specific challenges affecting Ugandans, with the goal of developing practical and scalable solutions within a week.
At the end of the hackathon, three winning groups will be selected and awarded funding of UGX 300 million each to support the implementation of their projects, Muhumuza added.
Muhumuza emphasized that the initiative is intended to inspire university students and young professionals to embrace innovation and contribute to solving national problems.
This hackathon is aimed at encouraging young people to actively engage in innovation and use their skills to tackle the challenges facing our country, she said.
Participants welcomed the initiative, describing it as a critical platform to showcase their ideas and gain visibility.
Maureen Kisaakye Malinga of Impala Healthtech Research Company Ltd. and Benjamin Ojed, who are among the team leaders in the competition, said the hackathon offers an opportunity to present their innovations to both national and global audiences.
This platform will help us expose our innovations to the country and the world at large, one of the team leaders said.
However, they also highlighted persistent challenges faced by young innovators, particularly limited access to funding.
We have developed many ideas and even tried to bring some to market, but the biggest challenge remains a lack of financial support to fully implement them, they added.
The hackathon will run for one week, culminating in the selection of the three most impactful innovations, which will then be supported to move from concept to reality.
The ministry hopes that initiatives like this will not only strengthen Uganda’s innovation ecosystem but also empower young people to become key drivers of economic transformation.
, https://pmldaily.com/news/2026/04/uganda-launches-youth-hackathon-ahead-of-2026-national-science-week.html
