Minister Musasizi Directs UIA to prioritise Industrial Park Infrastructure 

By Wilfred Arinda Nshekantebirwe

Finance Minister  Hon Henry Musasizi has directed the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to prioritize the completion of critical infrastructure in industrial parks, saying the availability of roads, electricity and water is essential for attracting investors and accelerating Uganda’s industrialization agenda.

Musasizi issued the directive on today during a meeting with the UIA management led by Director General Robert Mukiza, where the Authority presented its performance and outlined key challenges affecting investment promotion and industrial park development.

The Minister said industrial parks should only be licensed once essential infrastructure and public utilities are in place, emphasizing that investment promotion and facilitation remain central to the Ministry of Finance’s mandate.

“Industrial parks must be fully serviced with roads, power and water before they are licensed. This is critical for creating a conducive environment for investors and supporting the country’s industrial growth,” Musasizi said.

During the meeting, Mukiza reported that 14 of the country’s planned 25 industrial and agricultural business parks are now fully operational, hosting 463 operational companies.

He said the industrial park ecosystem has mobilized US$5.881 billion in investments and created approximately 164,230 direct and indirect jobs, with the manufacturing sector accounting for the largest share of employment.

However, Mukiza highlighted several constraints that continue to limit the competitiveness of industrial parks, including inadequate funding for infrastructure development and maintenance.

He called for the operationalization of regional One Stop Centres within industrial parks to bring investment facilitation services closer to investors and reduce bureaucratic delays.

Mukiza also urged government to negotiate more competitive electricity tariffs for manufacturers and establish dedicated power substations to improve the reliability of electricity supply in industrial parks.

State Minister for Privatization and Investment  Aminah Zawedde Mukalazi stressed the need to strengthen investor licensing and aftercare services to ensure investment challenges are addressed promptly.

She said One Stop Centres should be adequately staffed with officials empowered to make decisions that speed up investor licensing and facilitate access to government incentives.

Mukalazi further called for a review of land management in industrial parks, proposing that land allocated to investors who fail to develop it within an agreed timeframe should revert to government for reallocation to committed investors.

The meeting comes as government intensifies efforts to implement its Tenfold Growth Strategy, with industrialization identified as one of the key drivers of economic transformation, employment creation and export growth.

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