State Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Kabuye Kyofatogabye, says traders in Uganda no longer need to import kitchen ware since it is now locally produced in the country.
The Minister made the revelation on Saturday at Huahui ceramics which is part of Liao Shen Industrial Park, located in Kapeeka, Nakaseke District, where he took a group of traders dealing in kitchen ware.
At the Park, the traders were treated to amazing high quality bathroom and kitchen ware that included cups and plates.
“Today, I led a team of traders who import kitchen ware from China to Kapeeka to appreciate that what they scramble for in China, is also made in Uganda,” Kyofatogabye told Plus News.
“Why should they bother incurring visa and other costs involved in importing kitchen ware when we have it? Why take away the little money we have and donate it out to foreigners? he asked.
While displaying some of the ware, the Minister said the trades were very excited to witness the products and appreciated their quality.
According to the Minister, the rise of industries like Huahui ceramics, is as a result of government and President Yoweri Museveni’s deliberate efforts of rooting for import substitution and export promotion for Uganda.
While presiding over the inauguration of the Presidential CEO Forum (PFC) last year, President Museveni said: “If you want the country to grow, you need to look at what business you are doing. Does it bring blood here or does it suck blood and take it out? That is the problem I used to have with KACITA. Their business was importing. They even reached the extent of importing wigs. The main message is, please minimize and eliminate importing.”
Minister Kyofatogabye explained that witnessing the high quality kitchen ware manufactured at Kapeeka is one of the “fruits of resilience and being forward lookers.”
“The visionary leader Gen Yoweri Museveni started this call to industrialise the country for import substitution and we are all grateful for the initiative,” said Minister Kyofatogabye.
The industrial park established in June 2015 houses different factories producing several products. The park is expected to house over 22 factories.
At the moment, the park has got over 19 operational Chinese factories. These include Goodwill (U) Ceramic Company, Ho and Mu Food Factory Technology, Nana Shoes factory and Latex factory among others.
