Nakaseke in need of funds to roll out industrial project
Gen Salim Saleh, the senior presidential adviser on security and defence
What you need to know:
- "We recently appealed to President Museveni to come to our rescue as we look for the Shs1.6bn to roll-out the physical plan for the industrial zone located in Kapeeka Sub-county. We are lucky to have something to show Ugandans. The more than 10 industries including the largest tile industry in Uganda are located in Kapeeka Sub-county,” ignatius Kiwanuka Koomu, Nakaseke District chairperson
Nakaseke District leaders are stuck with a physical plan meant to transform Kapeeka Town and the Industrial Park Zone after failing to realise Shs1.6 billion meant for the project.
According to Nakaseke District leaders, lack of funds is likely to delay the plan which could attract more investment projects at the gazetted industrial park.
Nakaseke District chairperson, Mr Ignatius Kiwanuka Koomu, said the district has so far received some funds donated by investment friends of Nakaseke District through Gen Salim Saleh, the senior presidential adviser on security and defence, amounting to Shs63.9m, leaving a funding gap of more than Shs1.5 billion, which is yet to be realised.
Mr Koomu said they are mindful of the environment among other aspects including proper land use for purposes of avoiding future challenges that come with the industrialisation.
“We need to follow the required legal framework entailed in the Physical Planning Act to protect the environment,” he added.
Kapeeka Sub-county, according to district leaders, has largely been a farming area with more than 80 per cent of the land occupied by a largely farming population with a fast growing urban setup at Kapeeka Town as a result of the recently established industrial park just adjacent to the town.
“The rate at which the town is growing and the need to have a more organised urban setup with good roads among other infrastructure development projects partly explains the need to have a physical plan.
“ I do not have the details of the physical plan, but we have attended several meetings with the district leaders who are championing the physical plan project,” Mr Moses Ssenfuma, the Kapeeka Sub-County chairperson told the Daily Monitor.
“The recent population estimates for Kapeeka Sub-county put the figure to 40,000 yet the population is expected to rise as we receive more people coming to work at the different industries located within the industrial park,” Mr Ssenfuma claimed.
He said the rapidly growing population calls for better planning and as local leaders, they are happy that the district leaders have championed the physical plan project for the area.
The industrial park zone, according to Nakaseke District leaders , stretches to four out of the five parishes of Kapeeka Sub-county and covers more than 8 square miles.
Environmental mitigation
Mr Richard Mavuma, the Nakaseke District vice chairperson and district councillor representing Semuto Sub-county, said: “We need to have a green belt as an environment mitigation campaign. The physical plan entails all these details where all residents will be required to plant trees at their respective compounds and gardens. The road infrastructure, piped water and planned residential, markets are all incorporated in the physical plan.”
Kapeeka Sub-county has five parishes which include; Kisimula, Namusaale, Kapeeka, Naluvule and Kabeere parishes. Namusaale and Kapeeka Sub-counties are the most populated parishes, according to the sub county leaders.
