Speaker Among calls for fair pay, urges steel factory workers on financial discipline
"Whatever you make, make sure you have an investment at the end of the day—what matters is what you want to achieve. At the end of the day, when you work here, how much investment are you making out of what you make daily?" Among said.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among (left) addressing employees of Yogi Steels Company on Thursday in Buikwe district. (Photos by Donald Kiirya)
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Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has pledged that central government will empower factory workers through financial support, better wages and address their challenges.
Visiting the Buikwe district-based Yogi Steels Company factory, which is part of the Victoria Group of Companies on October 30, 2025, Among addressed hundreds of employees, she emphasised personal financial discipline, urging them to save and invest their earnings rather than merely meeting daily needs.
"Whatever you make, make sure you have an investment at the end of the day—what matters is what you want to achieve. At the end of the day, when you work here, how much investment are you making out of what you make daily?" Among said.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among (middle) and PLU's Secretary General David Kabanda (left) during their visit at Yogi Steels Company on Thursday in Buikwe district. Looking on is the Principal Human Resource Manager of Victoria Group of Companies Elizabeth Mbeiza (right). 
She also urged the factory management to provide sufficient pay to enable employees to build wealth and support their families.
"Make sure that you support them, give them sufficient pay for what they do, and see how we can be able to empower you," Among said, adding that the Government would follow up on worker welfare across factories.
Among praised Victoria Group's investors for contributing to Uganda's industrial growth, and thanked President Yoweri Museveni for creating an enabling environment for foreign investment.
Among announced plans for parliamentary leadership, including herself and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, to engage directly with employees.
"We are going to follow you people from one factory to the other and see how we empower you. We also want to see our children in the factory, find out what challenges they have, so that we can address the challenges," she said.
Highlighting innovative support mechanisms, she promised government-backed loans without requiring traditional collateral like land titles.
"We don't want you to go to the bank where security is required on loans, we are going to support you with money, putting it back again as security from you".
Government backing
Meeting Yogi Steels director Patel Alpesh and Victoria Group’s principal human resource manager, Elizabeth Mbeiza, Among assured unwavering government backing for the company.
The chairperson of the Women's League on CEC Adrien Kobusingye (2nd left), PLU's Secretary General David Kabanda (3rd left), the Principal Human Resource Manager Victoria Group of Companies Elizabeth Mbeiza (4th left), and Yogi Steels Director Patel Alpesh (5th left) in a group photo with the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among (middle) with other leaders in Buikwe at Yogi Steels on Thursday. 
"Please tell your management they have unwavering support from the Government," Among said, while stressing the role of industries in national development.
Mbeiza outlined the group's operations, which include 13 factories such as Yogi Steel, Gold Star Batteries, Victoria Tyres, Millennium Tiles, Delta Refractories, Simba Uganda Limited, Victoria Nile Plastics, Total Cable, Tapo Plastics, and Victoria Sugar, among others.
"Today we were very glad when she informed us that she was coming—the purpose of today's gathering was to reassure His Excellency that as the Victoria Group of Companies, we are yellow and we are behind NRM," she said, referring to support for the ruling National Resistance Movement party.
She raised concerns over misinformation spread by opposition leaders on social media, accusing the group's sugar operations in Luwero of pollution and poaching.
"Despite the several attempts by the National Environment Management Authority to resolve those issues, leaders still go to social media to mislead people," Mbeiza said.
Mbeiza added that following Among’s advice of increasing the salary of casual workers, Victoria Group of companies is going to increase wages of its employees from shillings 8,000 to 10,000 per day.
Among, promised to address these claims.
PLU’s Secretary General and Kasambya County Member of Parliament, David Kabanda, who accompanied the Speaker at Yogi, urged residents in Buikwe district to vote for President Yoweri Museveni and all NRM flag bearers in the 2026 general elections.