Uganda to host regional jua kali expo

KAMPALA -  Trade, industry and cooperatives minister Amelia Kyambadde has revealed that Uganda will also host the 17th East African community (EAC) Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi exhibition.

The expo is scheduled to take place on December 5 - 11 at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) open show grounds in Kampala.

Typically, the exhibition is attended by artisans from the EAC partner states and this year's edition will be held under the theme 'Buy East African products build East Africa'.

Minister Kyambadde revealed this during the ministerial monthly media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre recently in Kampala. 

According to her, the main objective of the exhibition is to showcase the stock of products locally made in East Africa.

"It will help in transfer of knowledge and ideas by sharing in order to build capacity for value addition."

There will be a symposium to reflect on the critical issues affecting the sector in the region.

"The special emphasis will be on the sustainability of jua kali as well as issues of market access opportunities in the region for the jua kali sector," said Kyambadde.

Why the expo

The exhibition provides a forum for artisans to demonstrate their innovations to an East African region that is focused on attaining a fully-fledged common market, complete with free movement of goods, services, labour, people, capital and the right of establishing business and residence.

The annual exhibition has proved to be an avenue to promote the sector's products, transfer of technologies and promotion of integration process in the region.

Over the years, the exhibition has served new market frontiers for artisans' products, bridged the technological gaps between artisans and as an avenue of integrating the artisans in the region.

At the expo, experts give the exhibitors professional advice on the key topics such as: opportunities offered by the East African Common Market Protocol; how to invest in East Africa; public procurement procedures/requirements; and lastly accessing markets through retail outlets.

Member states

The East Africa Jua Kali show is an annual event organised by the EAC secretariat with participation from the partner states including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

Over the last 15 years, the exhibition has become an important avenue for promotion of locally produced products, transfer of technology and enhanced the integration process. Over 800 participants are expected.

Back ground

The EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition is as old as the EAC itself, having been held every year since 1999 through collaboration between the EAC Secretariat, the partner states and Confederation of Informal Sector Organizations East Africa (CISO-EA).

Museveni - Najjeera Model

President Yoweri Museveni recently during his campaigns assured small-scale operators who are engaged in value addition of agricultural products as well as metal fabricators government support.

This is intended to boost their activities so that the strategy can help in poverty eradication drive.

The president commissioned and injected cash into several metal fabricators and other association in Kampala, Wakiso among other districts.

Museveni said the donation will help the youth of the associations scale down on costs they use, improve productivity and spur profits.