Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) Director General, Robert Mukiza (Right) assessing impact of recent floods at Mbale Industrial Park days ago.
The Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park has halted operations following last weekend’s floods that hit the city. The floods destroyed several machines in the factories constructed at the park.
The park that sits on over 2.6 Square miles of land with 10 factories was launched by President Museveni in 2020.
Bodi Xiu, the Park Administrator, told the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga who visited the park on Thursday that following the floods, they decided to halt all the operations and carry out renovation works. He said that they are yet to decide when operations will resume.
Bodi told Mpuuga that they are yet to estimate the losses that they incurred following the floods. “I cannot tell you that this is how much we have lost because most of our work here is mechanized but as we talk all the machines are down and we don’t know if these will work if the situation is settled”
Jin Owen, the Deputy General Manager of the Park said that the floods damaged most of the raw materials and finished products that were stored in some of the factories.
Mpuuga accused the government of approving the construction of the Park in a wetland.
He wants the government to compensate the park owners or find an alternative place where to establish the park.
68-year-old Asumani Dumba, a resident of Doko Cell questioned why the government decided to set up an industrial park in the area without putting up necessary precautions.
-URN
