Mbale industrial park good for jobs

Chinese firm, Tian Tang Group, has opened the Sino-Mbale Industrial Park in eastern town of Mbale, an investment its executives say will create at least 2,000 jobs to the local population.

Mbale, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | The firm’s executives say three investors have already set up in the park and that six more are expected before the end of the year.

Some of those that have already shown interest include; Pearl Light technology Limited, Ubon technology, Victoria Cable limited and Rongsheng Development Limited, mainly dealing in LED lighting, washing products, wire, cable and clothing.

Shawn Lee, the deputy general manager at the Park said a number of professionals are being trained to be provided with 600 jobs.

“We feel so proud of what we have done and we are doing more to realise our target to attract 60 investors and create 1, 500 jobs,” he said. The Park’s construction started in March 2018, sitting on a 2.51 square kilometer piece of land.

So far, geological survey, planning and power connection have been completed while construction of internal roads is ongoing.

Paul Zhang, the chairman of the Park, said a professional team was deployed in different provinces of China to attract investors for the park.

He said 20 acres out of the 619-acre park has been designated for a small and medium enterprise, with a total investment of $80million.

The State Minister for Trade Micheal Werikhe said the new Park creates a big milestone for Uganda’s economy.

“These companies are going to work with us so that we train our young people to ensure that we compliment their creation of jobs,” he said.

Currently, the country has 22 Industrial and Business Parks that it intends to attract investors so as to create jobs, reduce imports as well as boost export earnings.

This is also expected to boost the industrial sector’s contribution to the economy that stands at merely 25% to the Gross Domestic Product.

Uganda’s industrial development is detailed in the National Development Plan II, building on the NDPI as part of the journey to achieving the Uganda Vision 2040.

Critics however say implementation remains uncoordinated and non-coherent, mainly because the country has a weak National Industrial Policy.

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