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Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The multi-million Maziba Wine plant in Maziba Sub County in Kabale district is yet to start operating many years after it was commissioned.
The factory that is located at Maziba Sub county headquarters was commissioned by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in June 2015 to start producing wine from pineapples under the supervision of Uganda Industrial Research Institute.
However, URN has learnt from reliable sources that the factory hasn’t produced any wine as planned. This follows the dismantlement of the equipment that was installed in the factory for fear of producing contaminated wine due to high humidity.
The equipment was installed before applying Tarazo on the floor to reduce the humidity. The failure to kick start the operations of the plant has drawn concern from the farmers, saying it had frustrated their efforts to improve their livelihood since they are selling their pineapples at a giveaway price.
Aloysius Tumwesigye, a pineapple farmer in Nyanja parish in Maziba Sub County, says they were excited when the plant was commissioned hoping to earn better prices from their harvest.
He however, says they are surprised that the plant has remained closed for this long. Tumwesigye says they have lost hope of being saved by the factory and are stuck with pineapples in their gardens.
Adrian Twesigomwe, the chairperson Maziba Fruit Producers Cooperative Society Limited that is behind the plant, says they needs capital of Shillings 188.9 million to start operating.
According to Twesigwomwe, once the money is available they will able to purchase a standby generator, containers, labels, crowns, saucepans, computers and sugar among others for the plant to kick start its operations.
Twesigwome says that they have been struggling to raise funds to pay trained personnel to help in the production of the wine, security guards as well as construct a kitchen. Twesigwomwe says they have only managed to collect Shillings 470,000 out of the required money.
Elison Twinamatsiko, the Maziba Sub county LC V councilor, says it is very unfortunate that the factory was commissioned for what he said was political capital yet it wasn’t ready to commence production.
Wilfred Niwagaba, the Ndorwa East County member of parliament, says he has already liaised with officials from Uganda Industrial Research Institute to intervene and help the factory to commence operations.
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