UIA looking for Shs545b to develop industrial parks

Development. The Kampala Industrial and Business Park in Namanve. Uganda Investment Authority wants a financial boost in order to put the industrial parks up to standard. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

What you need to know:

Purpose. The money is meant to be used to put up facilities needed to run the parks.

Current budget. Mr Galiwango said the Authority receives Shs2.5b annually for development of all industrial parks and has received Shs32b in total from government since its inception. Now it is seeking $151m to complete all industrial parks infrastructure development.

Kampala. A recent visit to industrial parks by the parliamentary committee on finance, planning and economic development concluded that Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) budget needs a financial boost if investment promotion is to be realised.

The understanding came after UIA executive director Jolly Kaguhangire and the authority’s director lands development explained to the Members of Parliament that more money is needed if all industrial parks are to be up to standards required for investors to take up land for development.

“The $151m (Shs545b) is basically to finance the bulk of infrastructure development that is still pending. Industrial roads of 45km, industrial power 132KV as well as the substation.

“We already have a water booster but we still need a water reticulation within the industrial park so that water can reach every other point. One of the most expensive ventures is the sewerage treatment plant which costs $9m (Shs32.5b) and the railway extensions are very expensive. So they will take up a huge chunk of money,” Mr Hamza Galiwango, the UIA director lands development, said.

He further explained that the Kampala business and industrial park currently has no solid waste management facility, but a partnership is in motion between Wakiso, Mukono and the Authority to utilise the towns’ facilities. Lorries will be the means of transporting the waste.

He said this is meant to work as a temporary solution until the investment regulator acquires the funds ($151m) to equally cater to this need among others.
Speaking to the media on behalf of the finance committee, the chairperson, Rubanda East Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Henry Musasizi said it is time government went in massively on the reforms to facilitate investors.

“There is need to facilitate the authority that oversees governance activities in the industrial park in terms of budgeting. As an institution, they need to grow and growth has an implication on man power, land acquisition and capacity building,” he said.

Inclusion of private sector
Ms Kaguhangire expressed interest in having the private sector pitch in to meet some needs that will not have been touched by government.
She said the authority board is in discussions of how the private sector can aide in investment promotion, but insists it will be an effort that proceeds government’s input.