Chinese investors decry persistent attacks

President Museveni in November 2018 met Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Zheng Zhu Qiang and re-assured investors that there will be permanent security assigned to Industrial Parks and factories. PPU PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Last month, Daily Monitor reported about some of the Chinese investors threatening to leave the country and invest elsewhere in Africa after the attack on the LCCA rubber company in Mbalala, Mukono District.

KAMPALA. Chinese investors have decried persistent attacks by locals as two more of their own were attacked and kidnapped despite President Museveni’s assurance of security to their companies and property.
Mr Zhong Pacai, a fish dealer, was on Sunday night ambushed by unknown armed men wearing army uniforms as he transported fish to Entebbe on Entebbe Expressway.

The robbers beat and took him together with his merchandise to an unknown place, leaving behold his driver and supervisor.
Police in Kajjansi, a Kampala suburb, recovered the car in Buloba Village, Wakiso District. The driver and supervisor were arrested to help police with investigations.

Mr Luke Owoyesigire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, yesterday said the two suspects are being held at Kajjansi Police Station but would later be transferred to Old Kampala for further interrogations.
“These two people, who are being held have a case to answer about the disappearance of the Chinese and his property as they went unhurt. This looks like an inside job and that is what we want to find out,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another case of robbery at a Chinese firm in Nakasero, a Kampala City suburb, a security guard was severely beaten on Sunday night. He was admitted to Nakasero Hospital in critical condition, according to Mr You Jing Shu, the director of the company.
Mr Jing said he had directed his staff to report the matter to Wandegeya Police Station.

“I don’t know what to do. I am very scared because even when they have provided security, we are still being attacked,” he said.
Detectives at Wandegeya Police Station, however, said they neither had a clue about the case nor any details of the matter.
Mr Owoyesigire said: “We suspect the people told to report did not reach the police station. I would rather the affected person comes to police himself and report the matter.”

Some of the staff of the company who talked to Daily Monitor on condition of anonymity said their bosses’ arrogance could be leading them into trouble.
“These people are arrogant to us the workers. They do not consider our humanity as important, that is why some of the staff have been conniving with wrong elements to harm them. You can trace that in most of the reported cases,” the source said.

President Museveni’s order

Last month, Daily Monitor reported about some of the Chinese investors threatening to leave the country and invest elsewhere in Africa after the attack on the LCCA rubber company in Mbalala, Mukono District.
The police arrested two suspects and said most of the investigations into the attacks ended up being an inside job.
Meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Zheng Zhu Qiang at State House in Entebbe, President Museveni ordered for security deployment on most of the industrial parks. Army, police and private guards were to handle security.