Vendors in Nateete market have today engaged police in running battles, following protests that their workplace was taken over by a private company without compensation.

Last month, a row erupted between KCCA and market vendors who accused the authority of ‘selling’ Nateete market to RR Family Transporters without providing the latter with an alternative as is the norm with sitting tenants (vendors).

According to the vendors, the land where the market is located previously belonged to Mr. Musa Ddamulira, Ms Mandina Nasejje , Mr. Juma Lutwama, Mr. Suleiman Nsimbe and Mr. Ismail Sebugwawo, all of who acquired a loan of Shs250 million from Mr. David Bukalamye and failed to pay him back. This, the vendors claimed, led to the selling of the land where the market is located.

Further, they said that under their umbrella organization, the Nateete Vendors Company, they acquired a lease of 46 years from the former proprietors, but that it was cancelled without compensation, prompting the current stand-off.

And this morning, police, armed with tear gas canisters, was called in to quell the rioting traders, who in return said they would only listen to the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura.

“Bring the IGP to us,” the rioting traders chanted in unison as police fired tear gas and live bullets in an attempt to disperse them. The vendors also said that KCCA and the RR Family Transporters company have been collecting revenue from them upto their eviction.

Meanwhile, earlier on July 18, the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago visited the market and vowed to fight for the vendors’ rights in court.

Interestingly, on the same day the Minister for Kampala Beti Olive Kamya convened a press conference at her office and advised the vendors to relocate to the already constructed markets such as Wandegeya and Usafi markets, saying that the Nateete market is illegal.

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The Executive Director of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Jolly Kaguhangire, has said government will by September this year compensate the 106 families whose land was earmarked for the development of Mbale Industrial and Business Park.

Ms. Kaguhangire made the pledge during a tour of UIA industrial and business parks in the eastern Uganda districts of Mbale, Soroti, Napak and Moroto, which mainly produce agricultural products but with potential for minerals extraction.

While meeting the Mbale LCV Chairman Benard Mujasi and other district officials, Ms. Kaguhangire said that the remaining batch of claimants and their families would be compensated by September 2017.

Located in Mbale Municipality, 619 acres of land along Mbale-Tororo highway was acquired with 864 claimants recorded by the Chief Government Valuer. UIA has so far compensated 758 families leaving 106 families yet to be compensated.

She urged the political leaders in the district to sensitise the local communities about the benefits of industrialization, saying that unwarranted land wrangles have delayed potential investments in the park that is meant to provide jobs to the populace.

In the 2015/2016 financial year budget government allocated Shs4.5 billion for the compensation of all those living on the land to pave way for its development. Those not compensated have been living and cultivating their plots as they wait for compensation.

The park is expected to host 30 enterprises and provide jobs to over 12000 people. Two years ago, government said it was negotiating a Sh495 billion to be used for opening up the park once squatters have left.

Meanwhile, on her tour Ms. Kaguhangire also visited the 182 acre Jinja Industrial Park, located in Kagogwa village, 11 kilometres from the town centre along Jinja-Kamuli highway.

Key investors in this park include Kiira Motors Corporation sitting on 100 acres of land, Pearl Health Sciences Limited on 10 acres, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited on 12.4 acres, Nile Fishing Company on 3 acres and Uganda Free Zones Authority on 20 acres. She said UIA would extend a power line to the industrial zone to ease on the connection costs.

The UIA boss and her team visited also existing investors like Kakira Sugar Works with whom they discussed their expansion plans.

While in Soroti, Mrs. Kaguhangire lauded the level of infrastructural development in the Soroti Industrial Park and encouraged investors to apply for land there. Power lines have been extended to the Park, some sections of the roads tarmacked and several other murram roads opened up and under maintenance. The Soroti Fruit Factory already setting up at the Park is planned to start operating by January 2018.

In Napak, the Chief Administrative Officer, Stephen Oloya welcomed Ms. Kaguhanire and her team saying, investment opportunities in the areas include marble, the fertile arable land favoring the growth of sun flower, simsim and sorghurm.

Karamoja Industrial Park is located 12 kilometers South of Moroto Municipality along Moroto–Soroti highway in Kautokou and Nadunget Parishes. It covers an area of 417 acres and specifically targets mineral beneficiation activities to provide technical jobs to the people.

Ms. Kaguhangire and team toured Chinese Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group that is set to invest on a 600 acre facility in Tororo district to manufacture and process fertilizers, glass and steel products from the phosphates deposits that was identified in Sukulu region, Tororo.

This factory is expected to officially commission in February 2018 and hopes to produce 100 tonnes of fertilizer per annum with planned employment of 1200 Ugandans directly.

Responding to the different investors’ concerns, Ms. Kaguhangire said she would support the manufacturers in industrializing Uganda.

In 2009, government announced plans to establish 23 Industrial and Business Parks (IBPs) across the country with intention of creating jobs and adding value to raw materials. But eight years down the road now, government is yet to secure land in various districts to for the projects.

Some of the other districts earmarked for the industrial parks include Kampala, Mbarara, Lira, Masindi, Gulu, Kabarole and Kyenjonjo. Others are Masaka, Bushenyi, Iganga and Kasese among others.

Though on the slow pace, functional industrial parks are in Nalukolongo, Luzira, Bweyogerere and Namanve.

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Uganda’s coffee revenue for the last twelve months, between August 2016 to July 2017, jumped 52.84 percent to US$513 million in July, up from US$336 million earned in the same month last year, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), reports in its latest statement.

According to UCDA, the improved revenue was attributed to the rise in the country’s coffee export volumes which totalled 427,204 60-kg bags in July 2017, up from 268,490 bags exported in the same month in 2016, representing a 59.3 percent increase.

UCDA attributes the increase in coffee bags to good weather conditions that boosted the crop this year, as it exported 3.34 million bags of Robusta and 1.01 million bags of Arabica.

UCDA says the increase in Arabica exports was due to a higher-yielding crop while Robusta was helped by yields from maturing new trees. Both Robusta and Arabica exports increased by 69.2 percent and 15.40 percent, respectively.

However UCDA says that 10 out of the 35 coffee dealers in July exported 76.23 percent of the coffee compared to 81.44 percent in June, reflecting a drop in concentration.

And, UCDA says August exports are likely to total 380,000 bags, up about 30 percent from the same period last year, helped by a peaking of the main season in the country’s central and southwestern growing regions.

Uganda is Africa’s number one exporter of coffee even though Ethiopia, the continent’s top producer, consumes most of her coffee domestically.

Uganda’s leading coffee exporting firms include Kyagulanyi, Ugacof, Ideal Commodities, Kampala Domestic Stores, Ibero and Kawacom, while the leading export destinations include the European Union, Sudan, USA, Morocco, and Japan. Others are Morocco, Switzerland, Mexico and Algeria, among others.

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