Nemunkekera Industrial Park To Show-Case Quality Products

Namunkekera Rural Industrial Centre (NRIC) is among the projects masterminded by the National Coordinator, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Gen. Salim Saleh. It is part of his broader efforts to fight poverty and promote food security.

It is also premised on promoting agro-processing industries, basing on the paradigm that ‘demand creates its own supply’. The model is integrated with the community, where-by manufacturing using local raw materials has delivered a sprawling Namunkekera-Liao Shen Industrial Park in Kapeeka.

Its born out of collaboration between Uganda and China’s Liaoning Province, thrashed out during President Museveni’s visit to China in 2015. As such, NRIC is modeled on the Liaoning’s industrial model, under-which high-investment factories utilize mainly local materials and labor.

Growing rapidly, our own NRIC now has over 20 functional factories, producing 100+ products and employing over 5,000 people directly. NRIC has many more factories in the offing, with huge prospects to boost to our industrial aspirations. This means we are also on course with our import substitution strategy and the bid to diversify manufactured goods for export.

NRIC is now opening its doors in by way of a trade show /bazaar to showcase the products manufactured there-in. Scheduled for 27th to 28th September 2024, this is a must-visit event for buyers, agents and traders. Further, it will offer a peek into innovations, including goods to be manufactured, soon.

Trade-show/bazaar goers will know more about the raw materials/ in-puts they can sell to factories at NRIC. Shoppers will get quality products at knock-down factory prices. It will be a high-potential networking event for local businesses, for purposes of viable partnerships. For students, the trade-show/bazaar will be a source of life-shaping insights regarding careers in manufacturing.

Products on display include food items, confectionery/ fruit juice concentrates and clothes. Expect, also, a vast menu of electronics, gas stoves, washing machines, coffee machines, clothing/garments, water dispensers and plastic items. Others manufactured products to be exhibited include mattresses, heat/electricity insulation materials, scholastics, foot wear, sanitary wear, cooking gas and cylinders, construction hard-ware, wielding equipment, pipes and various machinery.

Further, there will be bags, fishing materials, ceramics, LPG gas and cylinders, cutlery and agricultural tools, among others – all manufactured at NRIC. Its success is such that Government (GoU) and private sector partners aspire to further grow, and replicate the NRIC model.

Thus, we will have GoU representation including Ministry of Finance Planning & Economic Development, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry & Fisheries, Ministry of Works & Transport, Ministry of Water & Environment, etc. We also have the likes of Uganda Development Bank, Uganda Investment Authority, Uganda Development Corporation, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda Export Promotion Board, Private Sector Foundation of Uganda, Kiira Motors, and public institutions of learning etc.

From the private sector, NRIC is geared-up to host Uganda Manufacturers’ Association, SMEs, cottage processors, Kampala City Traders’ Association, traders from other parts of Uganda, banks, telecom companies, insurance entities, private institutions of learning. NRIC will also host faith-based organisations, media houses, the community from greater Luweero Triangle and Uganda’s general public.

In NRIC, we have an illustration of how clarity of vision with total commitment deliver great and impactful projects. Thanks to our President for his ‘Musevenomics’, which encompasses such productive strategic partnerships. Thumbs-up to Gen. Salim Saleh for pitching camp at Kapeeka to develop from scratch, a now vast NRIC, growing Uganda’s economy, and offering livelihoods’ support to many. Details about participating in the trade-show/bazaar are obtainable from Tel. Numbers 0783 – 293 348 and 0757 – 896 914.

Moses Watasa
Commissioner, Communication
MINISTRY OF ICT & NATIONAL GUIDANCE
Twitter: @MosesWatasa