Anite asks Museveni to disband UDB top brass
President Museveni (right) tours the East Africa Medical Vitals factory at Namanve in Wakiso District at the weekend. PHOTO/ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- The minister accuses UDB of fixing money in other commercial banks to get a quick return.
The State Minister for Investment and Privatisation, Ms Evelyn Anite, has asked President Museveni to disband the management of Uganda Development Bank (UDB), saying it is hampering national development by denying local investors government funds.
Speaking at the launch East Africa Medical Vitals (EAMV), a Ugandan medical gloves-manufacturing factory at Namanve in Wakiso District at the weekend, Ms Anite told the President at the function that she discovered that UDB is fixing the money in other commercial banks to get quick return.
“We summoned the management and board of UDB to explain to us. And your Excellency, if they don’t give clear explanations, we will ask you to let us give them leave because they are not living up to their task,” she said.
Ms Anite’s remarks followed a presentation by the EAMV executive chairman, Mr Ben Kavuya, who said he unsuccessfully applied for a loan through UDB to establish the factory.
Mr Kavuya told Mr Museveni that he found solace in the East African Development Bank that took a bold step to provide him with a loan of $6.3m (about Shs22.4b) to help him complete works and start operations.
Ms Sumin Namaganda Musinguzi, the UDB head of communications, yesterday requested Daily Monitor to send her an email and promised to respond. However, by press time she had not responded.
President Museveni said they will address the issue of capital, electricity supply, and restrictions from the National Environment Management Authority that continue to affect investors.
“Don’t be discouraged by the confusion of the UDB. We have quite a bit of money in that bank and we are going to put more money there,” he said.
“This factory is coming to address a need which has been there for a long time. The need are gloves for medical staff to protect themselves from germs from patients and also protect the patients from germs from doctors,” he added.
The President also directed the Trade ministry to work with the Ministry of Agriculture so that farmers can start growing rubber trees in the country.
Rubber is the raw material used at the factory for manufacturing gloves and it is currently being imported.
Mr Kavuya said the $14.5m (Shs51.6b) facility manufactures 10,000 pieces of gloves per hour and they have the capacity to manufacture 95 million gloves annually.
