Local manufacturers urge Govt to cut taxes, provide low-cost loans
At the Kampala ceremony, 250 brands were recognised out of approximately 370 nominees across more than 230 categories in over 20 economic sectors, including manufacturing, digital technology, financial services, hospitality, agriculture, construction and healthcare.
Benard Feni, the director at Eurogold Refinery, with his team displaying the two awards he won. (Credit: John Musenze)
KAMPALA - Local manufacturers in Uganda have urged the government to reduce taxes, provide affordable loans and support access to industrial machinery.
They say high production costs are limiting the growth of Ugandan businesses despite their contribution to employment and value addition.
The call was made last Friday by manufacturers who received awards at the sixth edition of the East African Brand Quality Awards held at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
Prudence Kasibante Ukkonika, the founder and chief executive of K-Roma Limited, which manufactures Bella Wine, said the government should introduce incentives to help local industries expand production and compete in the market.
“Taxes are high for us, and yet we employ Ugandans. The government should come in and help us with taxes and give us low-cost loans and machinery for our industries. That is the only way we can be supported,” she said.
She added that tax relief and access to affordable financing would help manufacturers manage production costs while sustaining employment.
Bella Wine won the award for best winery in Uganda for 2026.
The awards cover nine countries: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Ethiopia.
At the Kampala ceremony, 250 brands were recognised out of approximately 370 nominees across more than 230 categories in over 20 economic sectors, including manufacturing, digital technology, financial services, hospitality, agriculture, construction and healthcare.
The event was held under the theme “Global Visionaries of Quality: Pioneering Sustainable Innovations, Advancing Technology and Value Addition.”
More local support
Benard Feni, a director at Eurogold Refinery, which received two awards, including recognition for mining and the Mungu Feni Foundation, also called for government support for indigenous businesses, particularly in the mining sector.
He urged the government to ease mining licensing procedures, reduce the tax burden on local miners and improve access to financing, saying the current costs and requirements could discourage Ugandans from participating in the industry.
He said the licensing process involves multiple requirements, including those relating to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), which can make it expensive for local entrepreneurs to enter the sector.
Feni said limited access to financing from local financial institutions often forces indigenous miners to seek foreign investors, potentially leaving them with a smaller share of the benefits from their businesses.
Feni said greater financial support would enable Ugandans to retain more of the value generated from the country's mineral resources.
He commended the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development for initiatives aimed at enabling Ugandans to participate in the mining sector but called for further measures to make licences more accessible and affordable.
Consistency and integrity
In a speech read on her behalf by Andrew Matovu Bukenya, the Director of Business and Enterprise Development at the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development, Vice-President Jessica Alupo urged the award winners to use the recognition to improve standards and expand their businesses into regional and international markets.
She said they have a responsibility to maintain those standards and strengthen the region’s reputation.
“Each of you represents a character of consistency, integrity, and quality that others in your industry will be measuring up to. I now urge you that this is not the endpoint but a responsibility to set the bar higher and keep Uganda’s, East Africa’s and South Africa’s brand reputation rising on the global stage."
The VP's speech also highlighted the Investors Exim Hub as a platform intended to connect recognised businesses to export and import markets, business-to-business networks and potential sources of funding.
“An award on the shelf matters less than an award that opens doors and new opportunities,” Alupo said, encouraging businesses to engage with platforms offering market access, business networking and funding opportunities.