The State Minister for Investment, Evelyn Anite, has pledged to establish industrial parks tailored to European, American and Australian investors as Uganda steps up efforts to shift from importation to high-value local manufacturing.
Speaking at the launch of Offshore Vodka, an Australian-linked premium brand now being produced in Uganda, Anite said the investment reflects growing confidence in the economy and underscores the need to expand industrial infrastructure beyond traditional Asian-focused parks.
"The coming of Offshore Vodka means that, as Minister of Investment, I should go ahead and establish industrial parks not only for Chinese or Indian investors, but also for European, American and Australian companies," Anite said.
She said the strategy aligns with Uganda's industrialisation agenda, noting that attracting manufacturers rather than importers creates better-paying jobs, broadens the tax base and boosts gross domestic product (GDP).
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Anite said Uganda's economy is currently growing at about 7 percent, with potential to reach 10 percent within two years if the country continues to attract firms that manufacture locally.
"The growth of Uganda's economy does not benefit one person. It benefits government, citizens and the entire economy because people are able to work for better pay," she said.
The minister said government will continue offering tax incentives, land and policy stability to investors setting up factories in Uganda, arguing that consistency has been central to rising investor confidence.
"In the 10 years I have been Minister of Investment, our policies have been consistent and deliberate. We do not change incentives midway, and that is why more investors trust Uganda," Anite said.
She added that the Offshore Vodka investment strengthens Uganda's 62-year diplomatic and trade relationship with Australia and could attract other global brands to manufacture locally.
Anite challenged local manufacturers to prioritise quality, saying consumers are willing to pay a premium for durable, high-standard products.
"Ugandans' problem is not price; it is quality. If you want your product to sell, manufacture quality," she said.
She said improving standards is critical to shifting consumer attitudes and making "Made in Uganda" goods competitive locally and internationally.
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Liquors Uganda chief executive officer Raymond Kasule said lengthy product testing and tax classification processes delayed the launch of new Australian vodka products, increasing costs and risking investor confidence.
Kasule said the company had planned to introduce the products mid-year, but regulatory approvals pushed the launch back by three to four months.
"We were supposed to launch in the middle of the year, but it took us at least three to four months to get the products tested," he said.
He said each product variant, including pineapple and raspberry vodka cruisers, required separate testing by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), using internationally recognised laboratories such as Intertek and SGS.
Kasule also cited delays at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), noting that new products often lack existing tax codes, forcing importers to wait for fresh classifications before clearance.
"We reached a point where the product had arrived, but the tax office did not have a code for it because it had never existed here before," he said, adding that creating a new code can take at least a week.
He warned that such bottlenecks could discourage large international brands from choosing Uganda as a manufacturing or distribution base.
Despite the challenges, Kasule said consumer response to the new products has been positive, highlighting strong demand for high-quality, locally manufactured beverages as government pushes industrialisation and export-led growth.
