Laws Are Not Enough: Mule Demands Funding for Africa’s Science Agenda.

By Michael Nyamai -

NAIROBI,KENYA SEPTEMBER 8, 2026 — Africa does not lack the laws, tools or scientific expertise needed to solve its most pressing challenges, but inadequate funding and political commitment continue to stand in the way of meaningful progress, Matungulu MP Hon. Stephen Mutinda Mule has said.

Matungulu MP Hon. Stephen Mutinda Mule poses for a photo with Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHeaD) Chair Mary Muia during the three-day Culture of Science Conference 2026 hosted by Amref Health Africa.//Photo courtesy.

Mule, who was the chief guest at the three-day Culture of Science Conference 2026, challenged African governments to move beyond policy pronouncements and commit resources towards research, innovation and home-grown solutions.

Speaking during the conference, the MP, who is also Chair of the TB Parliamentary Caucus, said Africa must take greater ownership of its development agenda instead of depending heavily on external support.

“African problems require African solutions,” Mule said, calling for stronger policies and sustained funding to advance research and address health challenges.

He said Kenya and the wider continent already have the necessary legal frameworks and tools, but implementation remains a major challenge.

“Kenya does not lack tools, and more so, Africa does not lack the laws,” he said.

Mule's remarks came as researchers, policymakers, health experts, innovators and other stakeholders gathered to examine how science can be placed at the centre of Africa's development.

The conference, bringing together the Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHeaD) and partners and hosted by Amref Health Africa, provided a platform to discuss research, innovation, health and the future of science on the continent.

CHeaD Chair Mary Muia said the conference would examine how policy and regulation can be transformed from barriers into enablers of scientific progress.

“We will also look into how policy and regulation can enable rather than hinder, because we know regulation and policy can either be facilitative or they can be a barrier,” Muia said.

She said the conference would showcase emerging areas of research and innovation, including genomics, artificial intelligence and local manufacturing, as Africa seeks to build stronger scientific and technological capacity.

But Muia said scientific advancement alone would not be enough unless the public trusts the information coming from researchers and institutions.

She identified misinformation as one of the most delicate challenges facing the scientific community, warning that the absence of evidence-based information creates room for false narratives to thrive.

“We really want to confront misinformation through evidence and science and make that as our culture,” she said.

Muia urged participants to engage with experts taking part in the conference, saying their experiences and knowledge could help shape the continent's scientific future.

The conference also brought together partners including the Africa Health Research Innovation and Development Alliance (ARDIA) and other stakeholders working across the research, health and innovation ecosystem.

The discussions come at a time when Africa is seeking to strengthen local capacity in health research, technology and manufacturing while reducing reliance on imported solutions.

For Mule, the challenge now is to turn Africa's existing knowledge, laws and scientific tools into action through political will and adequate financing.

The conference is therefore expected to renew calls for governments, legislators, researchers, development partners and the private sector to work together in creating an environment where African innovations can be developed, funded and deployed to solve African problems.