President Yoweri Museveni has said that Uganda can produce anything as long as the people are well organized and guided.
“We can produce any agro-product as long as the people are mobilized. Our people can produce a lot of coffee and fruits on small pieces of land. We have sensitized them in the production of various high-value products on small acreages. A small-scale farmer can generate up to Ush 18 million (the US $ 5,000) per acre of coffee per year,” he said.
Museveni made the remarks while meeting British Prime Minister’s Boris Johnson’s Trade Envoy to Uganda, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo, Ugandan born -Lord Dolar Popat at State House, Entebbe.
Gen .Museveni was particularly happy to learn that one of the investors was interested in establishing a modern hospital in Hoima District in western Uganda. The president said that a modern hospital facility would promote medical tourism and save the country millions of dollars spent when Ugandans travel abroad for medical attention.
Lord Dolar Popat expressed his sympathy to President Museveni and the people of Uganda over the recent bomb explosions in Uganda.
He said his government is interested in the purchase of various products from Uganda, including coffee, maize, sugar, wheat, and barley. He revealed that his team would connect Ugandans to the buyers in the United Kingdom.
“We want Uganda Airlines to ferry at least 10 tons of goods on every trip it makes to London. We want to use U.K. finances to build silos for the agro-Products. We have financed the Industrial Park in Namanve and we are interested in financing Kiira Motors in its vehicle project,” he said.
He assured the President that his government was keen on supporting Uganda in the industrialization process. The British High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Kate Airey briefed President Museveni on the progress of the proposed expansion of electricity generation and transmission.
One of the investors, Lord Benjamin Mancroft briefed President Museveni on the 300 beds hospital that he plans to build in Hoima. He said that the project would cost the US $ 150 million and that the construction would commence in January 2022.
Earlier , Lord Popat a Conservative Party member -in the UK’s Upper Chamber of Parliament – visited the Kiira Vehicle Plant under construction at the Jinja Industrial and Business Park and said that he was impressed by the developments undertaken by Kiira Motors corporation (KMC) and was convinced that the development of the local automotive industry value chain is key for Uganda’s industrial agenda.
He was accompanied by the Deputy High Commissioner Uganda Ms. Louise Ellis and Mr. Eric Olanya the Department For International Trade -Country Director, Uganda Infrastructure sector. Lord Popat also held private discussions with the Minister of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) in the Office of the President Dr. Monica Musenero .
The meeting held in Kampala according to sources was attended by the Board Chairman of kiira Motors , Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri and the CEO , Mr. Paul Isaac Musasiszi . The discussions focused on the progress and prospects of building the indigenous mobility industry for job creation and economic transformation within the context of a green and circular economy .
KMC Executives say the company is Interested in bringing innovative solutions to the Jinja Industrial and Business Park and the vehicle plant in terms of low-carbon toward net-zero plant operations in line with commitments at COP26 & SDG. The company is also interested in the power supply, wastewater management and cutting edge energy efficiency buildings that will allow Kiira Vehicle Plant and the JIBP to be a truly – model climate smart and eco mobility manufacturing hub.
He became a Member of the House of Lords in July 2010 and is the first Gujarati to represent the Conservative Party in the upper house. From January 2013 to March 2015 he served as a Minister of the Crown at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Department for Transport. He was Lord-in-Waiting, with the duties of a party whip. He was subsequently appointed as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Rwanda and Uganda in January 2016.
