Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), a government body in charge of promoting investments in the country is becoming tough on fake investors.
Business Focus has established that since 2013, 136 ‘investors’ have lost land offers in Kampala and Namanve Industrial Parks after failing to develop it.
In an exclusive interview, Hamza Galiwango, Director Land Development Division at UIA said that they revoked land offers for all investors who have failed to develop their allocated plots within the initial lease period of 3 years if they fail to give a convincing reason for non-performance. He however didn’t name them.
“Cumulatively since 2013, 136 investors have lost land in Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Namanve. The withdrawn land is immediately reallocated to other prospective investors who are willing to develop immediately,” Galiwango said.
He was responding to a question relating to what UIA has done to investors who are not developing land offered to them in Namanve Industrial and Business Park.
When probed further on the delayed take-off of Namanve Industrial Park, Galiwango revealed that lack of primary infrastructure has hindered the pace of development of the industrial park.
“The Park needs wide tarmac roads, heavy industrial power (132Kv and 33Kv), bulk water supply, a solid waste facility, a sewerage treatment facility, railway extension as well as an underground fibre optic cable,” he said.
He added: “The current estimates are at Shs500bn to complete the provision of these services. The Government is still trying to identify alternative and sustainable sources of financing to provide these services to the investors.”
In recent weeks, advertisements have been running in mainstream media about the sale of land in Namanve Industrial Park.
When asked who is selling this land and the reasons behind it, Galiwango said that UIA does not allow any allocated investor to sell land without the consent of the UIA Board and if an investor is discovered in such a transaction, the land is automatically withdrawn from them.
“The people currently selling land are the private mailo owners who have for so long existed within the neighbourhood of the industrial park. They cannot continue with residential developments within an industrial zone and have decided to sell off their lands to prospective industrialists,” he said.
He added: “Unfortunately, some of these individuals misrepresent their land description and misinform the public that it is within the industrial park boundaries. We have written to them to desist from carrying on this misinformation.”
On why the Industrial Park is apparently attracting many service companies, Galiwango said:
“It is Kampala Industrial and Business Park which means that not only industries, but also some land is reserved for commercial and business purposes which may include internet cafes, show rooms, exhibition centres, service yards, petrol stations and many others. These services are complementary to the industrial function within the Park.”
