President Museveni has criticized the Ministry of Water and Ministry of Energy for failing to provide critical support to investors operating in rural Uganda, saying such negligence hampers the country’s industrialization agenda.
During the commissioning of Pura Organic Agro Tech Limited, a cassava starch processing plant in Nakasongola District, Museveni expressed frustration over poor utility services. “This is a factory here in the bush. Why can’t the government come here and help with the water? What is the problem?” he asked.
He also decried continued power outages, which he linked to widespread vandalism of infrastructure, and vowed strong action against the perpetrators. “We are going to arrest them and handle them accordingly but don’t complain,” he warned.
The president announced plans to eliminate VAT on imported goods used by investors and reaffirmed his directive to remove taxes on imported starch, signaling a policy shift aimed at easing the operational burden on manufacturers.
Pura Organic Agro Tech, the first cassava starch factory in Uganda, processes 100 tonnes of starch monthly and plans to expand to 1,200 tonnes. However, operations have been hampered by limited water supply and unreliable electricity.
Company executives have appealed for inclusion in the Lake Kyoga bulk water supply system and better power reliability. President Museveni assured them of government intervention to support the plant and other planned expansions.
Minister Evelyn Anite and State Minister for Trade Gen. Wilson Mbadi both praised the investment, emphasizing its role in job creation, value addition, and industrial growth.
The development underscores growing investor interest in Uganda’s agro-industry but also highlights persistent infrastructural bottlenecks that require urgent government attention.
