By Wadulo Arnold Mark.
KAMPALA –The State House Investors’ Protection Unit (SHIPU) hosted a high-level stakeholder engagement bringing together key government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) alongside private sector leaders to build a unified front for Uganda’s investment landscape.
Chaired by Prof. Pamela Kasabiiti Mbabazi, the Executive Chairperson of the National Planning Authority (NPA), the forum focused on removing systemic bottlenecks to drive private sector growth. Prof. Mbabazi delivered a strong message to policy leaders: “Whereas foreign direct investment is important, no country the world over has transformed just by foreign direct investment. So Uganda cannot build a resilient $500 billion economy principally on foreign capital,” she remarked, urging a strategic shift toward regional planning based on geographic comparative advantage.
Established on May 1, 2023 by Presidential directive, SHIPU was created to ensure investors are not frustrated or delayed by public officers. Reflecting on its three-year journey, Col. Edith Nakalema, the Head of SHIPU, highlighted monumental milestones. Through active coordination, the unit has helped domestic and foreign investors recover USD (UGX 557 billion), returning critical capital directly into active investment flows.
Nakalema revealed that the register holds 1,852 serious concerns, with land and financial fraud emerging as the most critical bottlenecks. “Land and financial fraud cases are the highest concerns and core drivers,” Nakalema stated, noting that these two issues alone account for 719 cases (39% of the register) and remain the primary forces freezing private capital in Uganda.
A central pillar of SHIPU’s success is the Uganda Electronic Investors Protection Portal (EIPP), launched on December 13, 2023. Developed with NITA-U, the EIPP has revolutionized dispute resolution by eliminating corrupt middlemen. Digital intake has surged from 9% to 70% of all cases, allowing the unit to handle high-value files and secure the prestigious AAPAM Presidential Award. Furthermore, independent research by the University of Ethiopia attributes an 80% increase in FDI inflows directly to the EIPP’s rollout.
Inter-Agency Support and the Road Ahead Supporting these milestones, Brigadier General Henry Isoke, the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), reported progress: “Two years back, land cases constituted about 50%, but now we are at about 29% to 30%, indicating that a lot of progress is being done”. He added that SHACU is currently handling gold-related fraud cases worth approximately UGX 700 billion. Key institutions present included the NPA, the Judiciary (represented by Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha.), the Legislature (Hon. Fredrick Ruhindi), the DPP, the Uganda Police Force, Bank of Uganda ( represented by Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba the Deputy Governor), SHACU, the Ministry of Finance (represented by Patrick Ocailap the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury), NITA-U represented by the Executive Director Hatwib Mugasa , UNBS, URSB, UFZEPA represented by the Executive Director Hez kimoomi Alinda, and the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA). Private sector representation included the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), the Uganda Agribusiness Alliance, KACITA, and the Federation of Uganda Traders Associations (FUTA).
