Kampala — Funds for industrial research are now available, President Yoweri Museveni said yesterday. "For the last three years, we have been putting sh8b into this. You should not worry that there is no money," he said.

The remuneration for scientists working for government, he also said, would be raised in order to attract highly trained Ugandans working abroad.

"We have been working on this one and very soon this will be implemented," he said.

He said it was not right to pay a permanent secretary more than a scientist. "We have to pay the people who are doing work," he said. "I know people will complain but that is it. I am the President but how much money am I paid?" he asked.

The President made the remarks after touring the Uganda Industrial Research Institute in Kampala.

He urged the 100-odd workers of the institute to be patient because their remuneration would soon improve.

Flanked by industry ministers Janat Mukwaya and Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, Museveni was taken around by executive director Dr. Charles Kwesiga.

Museveni visited the section which processes bamboo into toothpicks, clothes, carpets and furniture.

He also saw the facilities which make vaccines for poultry, processes beef, fruit and vegetables. Some of the products are already on sale in Uganda.

A beaming Museveni said: "This is good this is good, wonderful products."

He thanked Kwesiga for accepting to return to Uganda from the US to streamline the institute.

"How can people like Kwesiga work for Americans who are in the moon, yet your mother can't get water from a well?" the President asked. He said scientists working here will one day "be smiling while those running to America are gnashing their teeth".

Kwesiga called for more funding to the institute to enable it "to commercialise the products of our research".

He asked for a laboratory and a computer aided design and manufacturing centre to enable Uganda "to meet its industrialisation needs".

Operating under the trade and tourism ministry, the institute was established in 2002 to ensure rapid industrialisation.