Business

Rise in imports, commodity prices, COVID-19 variant could impact recovery Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Uganda’s economy underperformed in 2020 as coronavirus pandemic lockdown took toll on economic activities. The economy is projected to grow by 3.5-3.8% in the FY2021/22 and 5.5-6.0% in FY2022/23, before increasing to 6.5-7.5% in …

Experts blame ‘weak’ govt, disjointed policies Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a new paper titled ‘The political economy of reviving industrial policy in Uganda,’ Pritish Behuria; a Professor in Politics, Governance and Development at The University of Manchester, attempts to explain why Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU), a …

Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hima Factory in Kasese District has suspended operations after a Saturday fire outbreak that left three factory workers dead and properties worth millions destroyed. Six other factory employees were injured with three in critical condition. Jean-Micheal Pons, the country Chief Executive Officer Hima Cement …

Namayingo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Up to 3,783 households and businesses in Lolwe Island in Bukoli Sub-County, Namayingo District have been connected on the hybrid solar mini-grid of 600kw capacity. Launched on Friday by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Lolwe Island mini-grid project that started in 2017 …

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Union of Drivers, Cyclists and Allied Workers (NUDAW) has suspended elections of Boda Boda leaders in Busia district over alleged irregularities. According to the union, most of the voters who turned up for the elections were reportedly non-members who had illegal boda …

Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Three workers were killed and eight injured when a  fire broke out at the Hima Cement Plant in Kasese at 12.30pm on Saturday. A team was doing installation works at the light diesel oil tank when the incident happened. The Hima Cement fire responders …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Uganda Development Bank Ltd (UDBL) has approved projects worth Shs926 Billion of which a total of Shs589 Billion has so been disbursed into the Ugandan economy to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic period. The funds were deployed to support the resilience and …

Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents in Hoima are feeling the pinch of  skyrocketing fuel prices. Fuel supply in the country has been affected by a strike at the Kenya-Uganda border, at which truck drivers protested the high charges for COVID-19 tests. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja reassured the country …

Free trading under the auspices of the African Continental Free Trade Area started in January 2021. One year later, several aspects of the trade pact are being successfully implemented as negotiations are ongoing in other areas. Kingsley Ighobor interviewed the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene and here are …

Failure to operationalise the National Health Insurance Scheme and resurgence of COVID-19 may constrain demand for insurance Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Uganda’s insurance industry is projected to register consistent growth in 2022 riding on technology innovations, government’s investment in infrastructure and increased economic activities as economy opens up. …