We are not wooing Kenyan kaveera firms, says UIA

Jolly Kaguhangire, the executive director of UIA. Photo/File

Officials from the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) have said that a letter inviting Kenyan packing firms to invest in Uganda does not extend to plastic bag manufacturing firms.

In a statement issued yesterday, Sheila Mugyenzi, the acting director of investment promotion at UIA, said media reports that Uganda is courting Kenyan plastic bag manufacturing firms are a misrepresentation of facts.

Mugyenzi said UIA is simply attracting Kenyan investors to tap into opportunities in the packing industry, but not to manufacture plastic bags.

"It is not true that Uganda is secretly wooing disgruntled plastic bag manufacturers from Kenya. Uganda's ban on plastic bag (Kaveera) was formalised eight years ago," she added.

Kenya's environment secretary, Judi Wakhungu, recently outlawed the manufacture, import, sale and use of plastic bags, commonly known as Kaveera. The move is in line with the decision of East African Community member states to ban kaveera.

According to Evelyn Anite, the state minister for investment and Jolly Kaguhangire, the executive director of UIA, the ban on manufacturing of plastic bags in Uganda, which was instituted eight years ago, still stands.

"We welcome all investors in our country, but we have not invited plastic bag manufacturers because there is a ban on Kaveera manufacturing in the country," Anite said.

Kaguhangire added that no Kenyan plastic manufacturing firm has been invited in Uganda.