The business community in Kampala involved in printing posters complains about the low business they are receiving this election period.
Commercial printers in Kampala say time for campaigns have usually been lucrative for them, but the current season is not bringing as much business as they anticipated.
Samuel Muwanga, a director of Cats Printers at Muzza printing industry Nasser road, says they have received fewer orders for campaign materials compared to 2016 when they were overwhelmed with orders and had to engage other printers.
According to Muwanga, the lockdown that people have been in for many months that affected the economy could have contributed to the low orders.
“A few daring ones mainly from the ruling National Resistance Movement and independents have, however, printed posters but in a few numbers.” He explains.
Muwanga also believes that the party primaries also could be the reason since many politicians cannot be sure whether they will be through primaries or not. He notes that this could be another reason for the low business.
Javiila Mukiibi, director of God’s son enterprises, a graphic designer, also at Muzza printing industry plaza, says candidates have tended to print fewer posters than in previous elections. He too believes it is a question of money.
Mukiibi says candidates have concentrated more on soft copy posters that they use on their social media platforms.
Posters are charged according to the number of posters and the size ordered, if someone wants more than 100 posters, they charge shillings700 for A3, and A4 shillings 300. The bigger posters like banners, each meter is shilling 30,000.
According to Uganda Printing and Packaging Association, Printing employs over 100,000 youths and women.
Nicholas Mutagubwa from Christo branding and advertising limited, says with many upcountry towns now powered, some printers have shifted bases nearer to upcountry customers, a factor that could explain why few upcountry customers have been coming to Kampala lately.
He further says that they are optimistic that maybe after party primaries, candidates might bring more because of the fact that the lockdown is being fully lifted.
Unfortunately , most materials that these people use to make posters like papers, tonna among others, are expensive because the providers think that the business is always in high demand this period.
Betty Nantale explains that a stock of hard papers used to cost shillings 93000 but now it costs shillings 100,000. Tonna is at shillings 250,000 unlike when it used to be at shillings 150,000.
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