By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Ugandans have been urged to rally behind industrialization efforts to accelerate the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This call was made by Deo Kayemba, Chairman of the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), during a media engagement in Kampala on Thursday.
Kayemba underscored the importance of industrialization in achieving President Yoweri Museveni’s ambitious directive to raise Uganda’s GDP from $50 billion to $500 billion, emphasizing the crucial role manufacturing and industrialization play in the nation’s economic growth and development.
According to him, raising the country’s GDP would not be possible if the citizens, manufacturers and the government are operating in a disjointed manner. He called on Ugandans to support local industries and promote industrialization as the backbone of the economy.
Meanwhile, Hon. David Bahati, Minister of State for Industrialization, highlighted the benefits of value addition, stressing that manufacturing addresses key challenges faced by Ugandan producers, including limited market access, fluctuating prices, and unemployment.
“When you add value to what they produce, you create valued markets for them, employment, and good prices for their produces,” Bahati said.
These remarks come ahead of the 30th Uganda International Trade Fair (UGITF) set to take place from October 2nd to 10th, 2024, at the UMA Showgrounds in Lugogo. The trade fair, which will bring together over 1,360 exhibitors from around the world, is organized under the theme: “Celebrating 30 Years of Industrial Excellence.”
President Yoweri Museveni, alongside First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni, is expected to officiate at the event on October 4th. Kayemba said the trade fair is a significant platform for promoting Uganda’s industrial and manufacturing sectors, providing opportunities for local businesses to connect with international markets and investors.
He disclosed that UMA is jointly working with education institutions such as Nakawa Vocational Institute, Gulu University, Makerere University – Department of Food and Science Technology and Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) to boost innovations in academic institutions as well as rolling out their products for operationalisation and trials.
“We are working with the number of universities to promote innovations and many of the products are brought to us for roll our and operationalisation […] When these innovators need practical lessons, we have a platform where we take them on as interns to try out their innovations,” Kayemba explained while replying to a question asked by our reporter on how manufacturers are helping to promote young innovators in schools.
