Kabale District leaders have launched the construction of new headquarters for Buhara Sub-county in a UGX1.2 billion project financed and implemented by SINO Minerals Investments Company Limited.
The project is being undertaken as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programme and is expected to improve working conditions for local government staff while supporting the company’s expansion of its iron ore processing operations in the area.
SINO Minerals, which is licensed to mine iron ore in Buhara Sub-county, will construct the new headquarters at Kijoojo Village, the current location of the sub-county offices.
The development follows a decision by the Kabale District Council to allocate 15.5 acres of land to facilitate the construction of the new government offices and the expansion of the company’s iron ore crushing plant.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony, Kabale District Engineer Januario Bagamuhunda said the new headquarters will comprise a modern administration block with a council hall, four offices, sanitary facilities and four staff houses.
The Deputy General Manager for Operations at SINO Minerals Investments Company Limited, Brian Munanura, said the project is expected to be completed and handed over by October 9, 2026.
Munanura said the company decided to construct the new headquarters because the existing facilities provide inadequate office and accommodation space for sub-county staff.
He added that the additional land allocated by the district will also enable the company to expand its iron ore processing plant, which currently employs hundreds of people from surrounding communities.
Once the expansion is completed, Munanura said the company’s monthly iron ore production capacity is expected to increase from between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes to between 50,000 and 60,000 tonnes.
However, he identified frequent electricity outages as one of the major challenges affecting the company’s operations and production.
Buhara Sub-county LCIII Chairperson Francis Niwaha welcomed the project, describing it as a timely intervention that will replace the old headquarters constructed in the 1940s during the colonial era.
Niwaha also appealed to SINO Minerals to consider constructing a new police post to enable security services to relocate alongside the new administrative offices.
Kabale District Chief Administrative Officer Robert Mugabe urged SINO Minerals to expedite the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the district to facilitate the smooth implementation of the project and future operations.
Kabale District LCV Chairperson Denis Nzeirwe Ndyomugyenyi commended the company for investing in public infrastructure and urged it to mobilise additional resources to furnish the new headquarters upon completion.
He said the furniture currently being used in the old offices is obsolete and no longer fit for purpose.
Launching the project, Kabale Resident District Commissioner Major Godfrey Katamba called on residents and other stakeholders to support investors and avoid frustrating their operations.
Katamba said the government is focused on attracting more investment to promote industrialisation, create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth in the district.
