Gov’t pledges full support to Turkish investors, calls for more investment

KAMPALA - The Government has pledged full support to investors from Turkey to open more businesses in Uganda that will offer employment opportunities to citizens and taxes to boost the country’s revenue base.

The third deputy prime minister and minister without portfolio, Rukia Nakadama, reminded investors that Uganda offers the best investment environment in Africa and appealed to as many investors as possible from various fields in Turkey to utilise this opportunity and invest in the country.

Minister Nakadama reminded investors that Uganda offers the best investment environment in Africa and appealed to as many investors as possible from various fields in Turkey to utilise this opportunity and invest in the country. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

The minister was speaking at the grand opening of KAFKAS showroom at the Arena Mall in Nsambya, owners of beko and Dr. Mattress outlets that supply a variety of home appliances and quality mattresses. 

The function was attended by the company chief executive officer and former Turkish deputy health minister, Agah Kafkas and Adnan Merdin, founder and owner of Dr. Mattress, among other guests.  

The function was attended by the company chief executive officer and former Turkish deputy health minister, Agah Kafkas and Adnan Merdin, founder and owner of Dr. Mattress, among other guests.  

Nakadama said that although the company was already established in Kenya and other parts of the world, they were poised to get better opportunities in Uganda.

“For example, Uganda has the most conducive climate and fertile soils to support investment in agriculture and is the most peaceful country in Africa with the strongest security and defence system to protect any form of investments,” she explained.  

In addition, she said, Uganda offers tax holidays to big investors, land and other incentives depending on the type of investment, with a one-stop investment centre where businesspeople can access all the information they need.

Nakadama also encouraged the company to diversify its investment strategies and venture into other sectors like agriculture, tourism, mining and Information, Computer and Technology (ICT) and many other fertile investment grounds, which she said were still intact and virgin.

She said the 40 employees already working with the company were few and challenged the company to consider establishing a factory, adding value to local products and employing more people.

The Turkish ambassador to Uganda, Mehmet Fatih Ak, said the embassy celebrates the good relationship between the two countries, and congratulated KEFKAS for opening the second store in Kampala.

He said beko has been a household name for many countries around the globe, and Mr. Mattress is a flourishing business in East Africa.

He said opening more stores means increased jobs for Ugandans and increased revenue for the government.

He said the Turkish embassy in Kampala would support the business to navigate through bureaucracies in the relevant authorities.

He said, following the advice of President Yoweri Museveni on various occasions, Ugandans should avoid practices that discourage foreign entrepreneurs and investors who are yearning to bring their investments here.

He commended the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his counterpart, President Museveni, for their efforts to develop the bilateral relationships of the two brotherly countries.

He lauded beko and Dr. Mattress for choosing to invest in Uganda.

Adnan Merdin applauded Kafkas for investing in Uganda and offering job opportunities to Ugandans. He said he founded Dr. Mattress in Kenya, where he has been for 40 years and lived in Uganda for five years.

He said he employs over 700 employees in Kenya and said if he gets the necessary support, he will soon open a factory in Uganda.

“For the time being, the support is good except that our furniture, although we are part of the East African Community, our products attract excise duty; we therefore appeal for the duty to be removed, that is the support we need,” he stated.

He added that when they reach a certain level of trading in three years’ time, they will set up a mattress factory in Uganda. He said they use latest technology to use components of their furniture to produce mattresses.