Govt not keeping promises on BUBU policy - investors

Launch. Prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda (right) is joined by Trade minister Amelia Kyambadde to launch the Buy Uganda Build Uganda policy in Kampala last year. The policy was approved by Cabinet in 2014. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

Opportunities. Local investors say they are yet to get any contract from government.

Portfolio: The BUBU policy main objective is to promote the consumption and use of locally manufactured goods and services (both through public sector procurement and the ordinary channels of commerce).

Kampala. Investors in the Luzira Industrial and Business Park have accused government of failing to abide by the ‘Buy Uganda Build Uganda’ (BUBU) policy set up to boost local investment.

The director Masterwood Investment, Mr William Byandusya, a dealer in furniture, on Monday, said the company, since the launch of the policy, has never received a contract from government.

He said if he relied on government, he would have run out of business but has now only thrived because of sales to the private sector.

Speaking to the parliamentary committee on finance, planning and economic development, during their invigilation of the Industrial Park, he said the BUBU policy only stops on the paper but implementation is still a great challenge, even by the very policy makers.

“We see buildings getting constructed but no contracts are coming our way. We keep wondering whether the furniture in government institutions remains in good shape year after year,” he said.

Reiterating Byandusya’s point, the project manager at Graphic Systems, Mr Trushar Upadhyay, also asked that government fully support them as local investors by contracting them to print text books and election ballot papers.

“Instead of spending more than $5m (Shs18b) on text book printing, government should contract us to print text books and the ballot papers from Kenya, we can also make them so that they do not send money out of the country. We have the capacity as you have seen. It will boost job creation and revenue for the country,” he explained.

The chairperson of the Finance Committee, Rubanda East Member of Parliament Henry Musasizi said the committee’s agenda is to listen into the concerns of the investors as they (MPs) propose reforms of the investment laws to determine passing of the Investment Code Bill 2017.

“It is necessary to do a field visit in the industrial parks in order to appreciate the extent to which government has contributed to industrialisation and also the impact of industrialisation to this country. It is timely because we are considering a bill, the investment code bill, which is seeking among other things, to facilitate and promote investment,” he said.

Uganda Investment Authority executive director Jolly Kaguhangire said passing of the Bill will give the authority precedence over all matters concerning investment in the country as it will render the one stop centre valid for operation.