State Minister for Investment, Evelyne Anite, has urged Ugandans to embrace industrialisation and value addition in agriculture and mining, calling for a shift away from Uganda's reliance on imports. Speaking at the 2024 Regional Industrialization Conference held at the Next Media Park, Anite emphasised the need for self-reliance and questioned the country's dependence on imported goods, particularly those sold in Chinatown.
In her address, Anite criticized Uganda's current role as a "supermarket" for foreign goods, which she attributed to the long-standing influx of Western and Chinese imports. She recalled a conversation with President Yoweri Museveni, during which he expressed the need for Uganda to transition from being a consumer of foreign products to becoming a producer and exporter.
"President Museveni once told me that this country is a supermarket for Western and Chinese goods. We want to convert it from a supermarket into a country that does value addition and exports to other countries," Anite stated.
The Regional Industrialisation Conference, attended by various stakeholders, including private sector leaders and manufacturers, is a precursor to a larger regional event set for next year. According to Anite, the goal is to first address Uganda's industrial challenges before expanding to the East African region and eventually the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Uganda, with its population of hardworking and trainable citizens, she argued, is uniquely positioned to lead this effort.
A significant portion of Anite's speech focused on agriculture, particularly the need to move from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. She pointed out that despite Uganda's agricultural potential, the country continues to import food items like rice and pineapples, while local farmers engage in small-scale farming.
"How can we be known for agriculture as our backbone and still import food? We need to shift from subsistence farming to large-scale commercial agriculture, ready for value addition and export," Anite urged.
She also highlighted Uganda's vast mineral resources, including over 35 different minerals, such as gold and limestone. However, Anite lamented the fact that Uganda still imports goods like cement, which could be produced locally using the country's abundant resources.
"We are sitting on so many minerals, yet we continue to say we are poor. Uganda has the resources; we just need to utilize them better," she said.
In a surprising twist, Anite took aim at Chinatown in Kampala, questioning the nature of goods being sold there. She expressed disappointment that many Ugandans continue to buy imported products from the area rather than supporting local industries.
"Chinatown - are they selling products made in Uganda, or are they selling imported goods? I did my research, and everything is imported! What happened to the locally made products, like those manufactured in Kapeka or Namanve?" she asked.
Anite pointed out that Uganda has several industrial parks producing goods ranging from ceramic tiles to LED lights, yet consumers continue to choose imported items. She argued that this trend hurts the economy by "donating jobs" to foreign countries while Ugandans face rising unemployment.
"If we continue to buy imported goods, we are not only donating our jobs but also our money. We earn our money, convert it to dollars to import these products, and in the end, we make ourselves poorer," she warned.
Anite called on all Ugandans, including civil servants, to lead by example and engage in value addition industries. She emphasized that the government can only provide a conducive environment through incentives like cheaper electricity, market access, and peace, but the onus is on individuals to take advantage of these opportunities.
"The public service can only employ 471,000 people, but manufacturing and industrialization can employ millions. We have to wake up and do it ourselves; government can't do it for us," she said.
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Looking ahead to the upcoming regional conference, Anite announced that African business magnates like Aliko Dangote would be in attendance to share their success stories. She expressed optimism that Uganda and the entire East African region could achieve rapid industrial growth if stakeholders fully commit to the vision of agri-industrialization and value addition.
"This dialogue must start with us here today, and it must translate into action. Africa has a population of 1.4 billion people, and we must begin to harness our resources to serve both regional and global markets," she concluded.
The 2024 Regional Industrialization Conference highlighted Uganda's untapped potential, and Anite's call to action resonated with attendees who are eager to see the country reduce its dependence on imports and increase its role as a producer and exporter.
As Uganda prepares for next year's larger event, the nation stands at a crossroads between industrialization and continued reliance on foreign goods.
