Residents of the Karamoja sub-region have expressed anger and disappointment after learning that the new cement produced at the Moroto-based factory will be branded "Yaobai Cement."
Many say the Chinese name undermines the identity of the region, which supplies most of the raw materials for the cement, and fails to recognize Karamoja's contribution to the industry.
For years, locals had protested that cement produced by Tororo Cement bore the name of Tororo despite using raw materials transported from Karamoja.
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Residents hoped the new factory would finally give the region a cement brand that reflects its identity.
The Moroto factory was established through a partnership with Chinese investors and officially launched in September 2023 by Yoweri Museveni.
Constructed by West International Holding Limited, a subsidiary of China West Cement Limited, the $300-million project produces about 6,000 tonnes of clinker per day, with an annual output of one million tonnes of cement in its first phase.
Uganda currently imports more than half of its clinker needs, despite a domestic cement production capacity exceeding 4.5 million tonnes annually. Demand is projected to grow by roughly 15 percent each year.
Since the factory's launch, residents say they have received little information about progress, even as construction continued.
Moses Lokiru, a local resident, said he was hopeful in December 2025 when new trucks arrived at the site, but was shocked to see the cement branded Yaobai.
"I was excited because I thought the long-awaited Karamoja cement would soon be produced. But I was shocked to see pictures of cement branded Yaobai instead," he said.
Peter Lokori described the Chinese branding as a failure of local oversight. "The use of a Chinese name is a shame for the leaders of Karamoja because it shows they did not take part in monitoring the project," he said.
Mary Awas called the branding a form of "modern colonization," arguing that products manufactured in a region should reflect the local community's identity.
She pointed to other brands, such as Hima Cement and Tororo Cement, which are named after their localities.
The controversy has sparked heated debate on Karamoja social media platforms, with residents suggesting alternatives such as Karamoja Cement, Moroto Cement, Ateker Cement, Matta Cement, and Ngitunga Cement.
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Vincent Obura urged factory management to take cues from the Moroto University project, where a locally inspired name was adopted despite being managed under Gulu University.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the factory management had not yet yielded results by press time.
Residents say they hope authorities and investors will reconsider the branding to reflect the identity and pride of the Karamoja region.
