Traders in Kabale District have appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to consider allocating an industrial park in the area to boost manufacturing, enhance local production, and reduce dependence on imported goods.
According to Michael Turyamureba Byamungu Rwastabutare, Chairman of the Kabale Municipality Traders’ Association (KMTA), traders in Kabale have long played a vital role in driving socio-economic development particularly in Kabale Municipality through retail and wholesale trade.
Speaking on Tuesday during a consultative tour organized by the Uganda National Traders Alliance (UNATA) with members of KMTA, Byamungu emphasized that diversifying into manufacturing would not only increase traders’ profitability but also create employment opportunities and spur economic growth in the region.
Byamungu expressed confidence that establishing an industrial park in Kabale would position the district as a manufacturing hub for the broader Kigezi Sub-region.
He also urged the President to provide access to startup capital to help traders invest in equipment, technology, and human resources.
He noted that such support would lead to improved economic activity, infrastructure development, and overall regional growth.
CUE IN BYAMUNGU……..ON THE APPEAL……..ENG//
In May 2021, President Museveni approved the establishment of 25 industrial parks in all sub-regions in the country. He said at the time that the parks will be established in Arua and Adjumani in West Nile, Gulu in Acholi, Lira in Lango, Moroto in Karamoja, Soroti in Teso, Mbale in Bugisu, Jinja in Busoga; Kabale in Kigezi and Rukungiri in Western; Mbarara in Ankole, and Hoima in Bunyoro, Mukono, Namanve, Kapeeka in Nakaseke and Mengo in Kampala.
However, Chances of Kabale district benefiting from construction of a properly serviced Industrial park dwindled after Cabinet decided to give priority to Kisoro District.
In August 2021, a team from Uganda Investments Authority-UIA led by Evelyn Anite, State Minister of Finance for privatization, David Kwesiga Bahati, State Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Victoria Businge Rusoke, State minister for Local Government, and Wilfred Niwagaba, Ndorwa East County member of parliament visited a land hosting Kanyinaburiba airstrip in Kanyinaburiba village of Kyanamira Parish in Kyanamira Sub-county, which was earmarked by Kabale district council about three years ago by then to host the industrial park.
However, Anite raised doubts after finding out that the land has no title and it is less than 50 acres, a mere tenth of the minimum 500 acres recommended by the president.
Local leaders led by Nelson Nshangabasheija, Kabale District LC5 chairman, Emmanual Sentaro Byamugisha, Kabale municipality mayor, Bahati, and Niwagaba pleaded with Anite to allow Kabale to get a fully-fledged Industrial park, saying the land crisis is a major problem in Kabale, adding that most residents survive on trade.
Major (rtd) Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, the State Minister for Agriculture in charge of Crop production said that the cabinet got convinced that Kisoro has more than 620-acre land located in Kibaya, Nyakrubuye sub county at the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Gongo border town council of Bunagana, which is enough and fit in the 500 acres recommended by the government.
Kyakulaga also says that Kisoro was given a priority because products from the industrial park will be easily exported to the neighboring DR Congo markets.
