Several people at the factory were arrested
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has impounded thousands of litres of paint suspected to be counterfeit following a raid on an illegal manufacturing site in Kampala.
The operation, conducted on the rooftop of Naiga Plaza along Ben Kiwanuka Street, was prompted by a tip-off from a whistleblower. During the raid, UNBS enforcement officers found several men and women mixing chemicals and packaging them into containers bearing labels of well-known and certified paint brands.
According to Sylvia Kirabo, the UNBS Head of Marketing and Public Relations, the counterfeiters were producing fake versions of at least six reputable brands, including Pascon, Dura Coat, and Sadolin, all of which are among the 40 paint manufacturers certified by the standards agency.
Kirabo noted that the operators lacked the technical competence required to manufacture paint. She added that UNBS has specific standards guiding the production process, including safety, composition, and quality specifications, which the suspects completely ignored.
Kirabo explained that the investigation was launched after several complaints emerged from across the country about substandard paint being sold to unsuspecting customers.
Tracing the distribution channels eventually led inspectors to the Naiga Plaza site. Beyond the economic implications, Kirabo warned that counterfeit and substandard paint poses serious health and environmental risks.
Kirabo explained that paint raw materials often contain lead, a heavy metal that is restricted or prohibited under international standards. She noted that UNBS regulates the permissible levels of lead in paint to protect consumers, but the illegal operators lacked the knowledge and expertise to control such substances, thereby exposing users to potentially toxic levels of lead.
The suspects were also found to be using fake Digital Conformity Mark (DCM) stickers, a traceability system introduced by UNBS to verify the authenticity of certified products on the market.
Kirabo revealed that the suspects will be arraigned before the Standards and Utilities Court to face charges related to counterfeiting, use of false certification marks, and violation of standards regulations. However, she noted that beyond prosecution, UNBS also aims to rehabilitate offenders through education and training.
“Sometimes these individuals engage in such illegal activities out of ignorance rather than malice,” Kirabo said. “After the legal process, we intend to guide and train them on how to operate within the law.”
The bureau has since urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious products or operations, emphasising that combating counterfeits is a shared responsibility between regulators, manufacturers, and consumers.
-URN
