Notorious former Makerere University strike leader and Chemical student Samuel Mugarura alias Falcao, who got popular for inventing a less toxic tear gas recipe, wants to sue government and UPDF’s Luweero Industries for using his recipe to mass produce tear gas without fair compensation.
Campus Bee has learned that, in a bid to promote local innovation, government through the Ministry of Science and Technology embarked on a mission to work with Mugarura’s company – Sharawe Tecnologies Ltd to mass produce teargas with support of the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs.
Through his lawyers of GEM Advocates, Mugarura has written to Luweero Industries and made it clear of his intentions to sue them for intellectual property infringement should they not come to an understanding with him in 14 days.
“On 15th June, 2020, the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs informed the President of our client’s wish to sell their intellectual property rights in the invention (of tear gas) to the government of Uganda.” The letter reads in part.
“To our client’s dismay, Luweero Industries Ltd and the UPDF have, without regard to their intellectual property rights, been illegally, wrongfully and clandestinely producing tear gas and pepper sprays on a mass scale using our client’s invention.” The letter adds.
Mugarura says the infringement of his intellectual property rights is unpatriotic and discourages future Uganda-based scientific innovations and solutions.
“I have one several occasions had different meetings with government officials to have my concerns addressed and amicably resolved but I have not been offered any practical help.” Mugarura told Campus Bee.
Consequently, he intends to initiate a protracted legal battle with government, Luweero Industries Ltd and the UPDF for a sum of USD 11 million, being the value of his tear gas invention.
Efforts to speak to the General Manager of Luweero Industries were still futile by press time.
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