Investment Authority Reclaims 184 Acres in Namanve

The Government through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has announced Tuesday that it will revert 184 hectares of land which was allocated to investors, but never developed in the last three years to Uganda Investment Authority.

The land is part of 1066 hectares which was in 2009 placed up for bids, in the process of developing the Kampala Business Industrial Park (KIPB) located in Namanve along Kampala Jinja highway.

While making the announcement, Minister of State for Investment Ajedra Gabriel said the 74 entities were issued up to 184 hectares of land but have never taken any action beyond acknowledging the offers.

Other investors have already paid 200, 000 UGX for UIA to survey their land. Ajedra said the move was to give an opportunity to deserving investors interested in developing the land fast.

He added that it will weed out investors who intend to relinquish their interests with hopes of selling the land to the highest bidder.

In 2009, 431 investors applied for the land, out of these 277 bidders were allocated land by the UIA board on the basis of submitted investment proposals. So far, 42 investors have been granted licenses after meeting all the conditions set by the UIA board. 121 have surveyed the land and UIA is processing their leases.

UIA Executive Director Frank Ssebowa explained that having industrial parks in 22 different locations was a way to attract investors across the country. Ssebowa refuted claims that moving industries from towns like Jinja to Namanve was a mistake and loss to resource capital.

Ajedra emphasized that the plan is aimed at de-congesting towns and acknowledged that in the past, mistakes were made in initiating the bidding and allocation process before servicing the land. As a result 185 to 200 million dollars is required to re do the infrastructure.

Namanve which was initially owned by the National Forest Authority (NFA) was degazzetted in 1997 and compensation made to entitled citizens who were living outside the forest, and those who had been licensed to grow trees in the forest.