Chinese electronics firm, ENGO Holdings Limited has begun construction of a mobile phone and laptop computer manufacturing and assembly plant in Uganda.

At the signing ceremony hosted recently, the State Minister for Finance, Investment and Planning Evelyne Anite said some of the gadgets to be assembled and manufactured at the plant will have self-charging solar units making them suitable for rural areas.

The Minister stated, "It is good news that for the first time we are not going to be importing computers from Europe, America, China and from all over the world because we will be buying them locally. It is very expensive to import these computers."

ENGO Holdings Limited executive director Yu Qing said the company plans to invest US$15-million over five years and initially, the plant will produce 100,000 mobile phone devices per month.

The company's flagship brand is Simi Mobile and both analogue and smartphones will be manufactured.

The first solutions are expected to be rolled out before the end of the year.

Qing added that the target is to produce 1 million computers per year, but figures will depend on demand.

"The plant will rely on Chinese imported motherboards, screens, touch panels, batteries, cameras and speaker receivers and vibrators, as well as circuits for the domestic manufacture of phones until qualified Ugandan workers have been trained to undertake the commercial process from Uganda," Qing said.

According to Uganda's National Information Technology Authority (NITA), the country is home to 22 million mobile phone subscribers.