By Wadulo Arnold Mark
The Minister of State for Industry, Hon. David Bahati, undertook an extensive engagement tour and visit to three factories including Mesha Steel Industries Limited, Samona Products Ltd and Korica Uganda Limited, to assess their operations and appreciate their potential to promote value addition, drive import substitution, create jobs, and generate export revenue.
At Mesha Steel Industries, the Minister witnessed firsthand the impact of supporting local manufacturing. Managing Director Lydia Mwesigwa highlighted that the company sources an impressive 95% of its raw materials locally, directly employing 200 Ugandans and supporting over 2,000 livelihoods through its supply chain and worker dependents. The factory stands as a testament to what Ugandan manufacturers can achieve when supported with the right policies and infrastructure.
At Samona Products Ltd, Founder and Managing Director Salongo Kasawuli Michael Mukasa expressed deep concerns over severe financial challenges facing Uganda’s first herbal jelly factory. He said the company faces imminent bankruptcy arising from complications with its initial operational plan with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). Despite its pioneering role in value addition and its potential to export herbal products, the factory now requires urgent government intervention to survive.
At Korica Uganda Limited, the Minister was informed of the company’s successful exports to DR Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi. With over two decades of experience producing and repairing power transformers, Korica has proven that Ugandan-made products can compete regionally. This is a clear demonstration of Uganda’s industrial potential
Hon. Bahati urged the manufacturers to work closely with government agencies to resolve the existing bottlenecks. He encouraged them to take full advantage of available initiatives, including affordable industrial financing to scale up production, improved infrastructure to reduce operational costs, and market access under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to reach regional and continental buyers. He further urged manufacturers to strengthen local content and promote quality Ugandan-made products as a model for other industries.
The Minister pledged government’s full support for industrial revival through import substitution policies to reduce reliance on foreign goods, affordable financing to unlock expansion and modernization, and lowering electricity tariffs to 5 cents per unit as power generation capacity increases.
