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New industrial park in Mbarara to create over 100,000 jobs

CAPTION: L-R UIA officials who attended: Investment Executive Investment Promotion Mr. Mark Wagubala, Deputy Director Business Development Mr Peter Muramira, Deputy Director Investment Promotion, Mr. Martin Muhangi and UIA Environment Officer Mr. Emma Kaye. 

Mbarara, Uganda:  The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) is working with different ministries, departments and agencies and investors from Sino Uganda Economic Development Zone, ZhongWu Beef Imports and Exports Group Limited to develop an industrial Park in Nshaara.  

Speaking at a meeting held at Nshaara, Kashaari, the Chief Executive Officer of SINO Uganda Modern Economic Development Special Zone, Mr. Wang Shujun, informed the participants that the Park will be divided into five industrial zones that will cater for companies dealing in different products some of which include, agro-processing, high tech manufacturing and the assembly of electronics like laptops, television sets and washing machines. Other zones will relate to processing, textiles and imported materials.

“In order to attract investors to develop this Park, we have opened up different offices in the Chinese big cities to attract investors. 54 investors have already signed memorandum of understanding with us,” said Mr. Wang Shujun.  

Once fully operational, the Park is expected to create 100,000 jobs.

ZhongWu Beef Imports and Exports Group, which one of the operational companies in the Park at the moment has established an abattoir in Kashaari. By February 2020, the completed the first phase of development which was worth $15 million and in the second phase, they will include leather tanning and other related products.

Our plan is to slaughter 1000 animals per day and export 50,000 tons of beef and 100,000 tons of goats meat per month and we will need well trained workers and shall meet the required international standards,” said Mr. Jian Youcai,  Chief Executive Officer

He added that they have established a processing line, a slaughter house and packaging department to produce packed meat to be exported to different countries in the world. They expect that the Project will promote agriculture in Western Uganda and that farmers will accessprofessional services as they work with the company and and the local governments.

“Part of our mandate as the Authority is to facilitate investors to do business with ease in Uganda and to ease access to land, for investors, through serviced industrial and business parks,” said Mr. Muhangi, the UIA Deputy Director for Investment Promotion. “We are pleased to see that private sector players are making use of the synergies that government is providing to advance their investment projects,” he added saying that UIA remains dedicated to providing access to government services through the One Stop Business Centre for Investors which sits at the UIA and can be accessed both physically and online. He explained that an investor license, for example, can be obtained within 48 hours. “This is because we understand that investors need to be well facilitated and supported in order to carry out their business at reduced costs and time,” .  

The meeting at Nshaara, Kashaari was held in conjuction with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda Free Zones Authority, Uganda Revenue Authority, National Environment Management Authority, UMEME, National Water and Sewerage Corporation. 

SINO Uganda Modern Economic Development Special Zone, which manages the Park expects that an investment of $1.5 to $2 billion will made into the Park.