Uganda has introduced a locally made firefighting tank designed to handle fires in very tough areas.
The prototype, dubbed the Muliro Eater, was unveiled by President Yoweri Museveni during a meeting with ambassadors from the USA, Russia, the UK, and the European Union.
It was developed by the National Enterprises Corporation (NEC) under its All-Terrain Fighting Project in Nakasongola.
The Muliro Eater is built to survive in difficult conditions. It can fight wildfires and huge blazes, and it can also be used for pest control.
Museveni said he got the idea after seeing major fires in countries like the USA, Australia, and parts of Europe.
“Whenever I watched fires destroying entire towns on TV, I asked myself how Africa could help. We decided to mix African firefighting methods with military tank technology to make this special vehicle,” he said.
The Muliro Eater keeps firefighters safe by letting the machine do the dangerous work. Museveni said this shows Uganda’s ability to create solutions for big global problems.
He added that countries that often deal with large fires could benefit from the Muliro Eater and said the project highlights Uganda’s commitment to supporting African-made inventions.