UIA Mbale

UIA ED pledges to speed up land compensation for Mbale Industrial Park

Investment Authority’s Executive Director Jolly Kaguhangire has pledged to speed up the process of land compensation for families affected by industrial park development in Mbale. Mrs. Kaguhangire was speaking during a tour of UIA industrial Parks in the Eastern Uganda districts of Mbale, Soroti and Karamoja (Napak and Moroto). In Mbale industrial park, a total of 619 acres of land was acquired with a total of 864 claimants recorded as per the Chief Government Valuer’s report. Uganda Investment Authority has so far compensated 758 families leaving 106 families yet to be compensated.

meeting the Mbale LCV Chairman and Resident District Commissioner, the Executive Director assured the local leaders that the remaining batch of project affected persons and families will be compensated by September 2017. She appealed to them to dialogue with their respective communities about the benefits of industrialization and have continuous face to face interactions with the neighboring community to avoid unwarranted wrangles that deter potential investment to the Mbale Industrial Park.

Executive Director also visited the 182 acre Jinja Industrial Park site located in Kagogwa village,11KM from Jinja town centre along Jinja-Kamuli highway. The key investors in this Park include Kiira Motors Corporation sitting on 100 acres of land, Pearl Health Sciences Limited on 10 acres, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited on 12.4 acres, Nile Fishing Company on 3 acres and Uganda Free Zones Authority on 20 acres. UIA will extend an 11KV power line to the industrial zone to pave way for these countries to take possession.

in Jinja, the team took opportunity to visit existing investors among which was Kakira Sugar works with whom they discussed their expansion plans. While in Soroti, Mrs. Kaguhangire appreciated the level of infrastructural development in the Soroti Industrial park and encouraged investors to apply for land there because it is a strategically located park. Power lines have been extended to the park, some sections of the roads tarmacked and several other murram roads opened up and under maintenance. Soroti Fruit Factory already setting up at the park is planned to start operating by January 2018.

in Napak, the Chief Administrative officer Mr. Stephen Oloya informed the Executive Director and her team about the opportunities for investment in the area which include excavation of Napak hill rich in Marble, the fertile arable land favoring the growth of sun flower, simsim and sorghurm.

Karamoja Industrial Park is located 12 kilometers South of Moroto Municipality along Moroto–Soroti highway in Kautokou and Nadunget Parishes. It covers an area of 417 acres and specifically targets mineral beneficiation activities to provide technical jobs to the people. The local leaders of Moroto district committed to engage and sensitize the community of Moroto to be more welcoming to the idea of industrialization in their community

Executive Director also visited Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group Co. Ltd a Chinese group of companies set to invest on a 600 acre facility in Tororo district to manufacture and process fertilizers, glass and steel products from the phosphates deposits that was identified in Sukulu region, Tororo. This factory is expected to officially commission in February 2018 and hope to produce 100 tonnes of fertilizer per annum with planned employment of 1200 Ugandans directly. Mrs. Kaguhangire committed to provide them with all necessary support to achieve the common goal of industrializing Uganda