Namayingo: Uganda’s Vice President, Jessica Alupo, has expressed disappointment with individuals who frustrate investors through fraudulent activities, describing them as enemies of Uganda’s development. She emphasized that such bad actors must either reform or face the consequences in due time.
The Vice President was represented by the Third Deputy Prime Minister, Hajjat Rukia Isanga Nakadama, at the official launch of the construction of the CN Sugar Factory in Kifuyo village, Buyinja Subcounty, Namayingo District.
Her Excellency Alupo expressed her satisfaction with the investment by CN Sugar Company, marking the first major investment in Namayingo District, Eastern Uganda.
“Those who always frustrate investors are fraudsters and enemies of Uganda’s development. Such individuals need to reform or prepare for the consequences of their actions,” Nakadama stated while delivering Alupo’s speech.
The launch, held at the company site last weekend, attracted several dignitaries, including political, religious, and cultural leaders, as well as a large crowd of residents. The Vice President also laid the foundation stone for the construction of the CN Sugar Factory.
Local residents and leaders had been working together to ensure that the investor remained, despite claims from the Ministry of Trade that the company did not possess the minimum required hectares of land to begin operations.
The Vice President congratulated the rural area on securing such a significant investment and encouraged CN Sugar to explore other opportunities in Namayingo, highlighting the district’s wealth of minerals, such as white lake sand, which is used in glass production.
Notably, she advised holders of small land portions to avoid growing sugarcane and instead focus on food crops, leaving sugarcane farming to those with larger tracts of land.
“It wouldn’t be beneficial for people with small pieces of land to engage in sugarcane farming. Those with larger acres should handle it, while smallholders should focus on food crops,” Alupo advised.
Several Namayingo District leaders were present at the event, including District Chairperson Ronald Sanya, Woman MP Hon. Margret Makoha, and Namayingo South County Legislator Hon. Micheal Odwori. Hon. Odwori commended the government for finally approving the CN Sugar Mill’s establishment in the district.
“Our dear Vice President, we are overjoyed today. It’s a remarkable day for the people of Namayingo. The journey to establish CN Sugar Factory here has been challenging. The people you see around are now ready to support President Museveni in the upcoming general election, as they now have an alternative source of employment after being displaced from the lake,” Sanya, the District Chairperson, said.
Mr. David Kulaba Isabirye, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Namayingo, expressed relief, stating that securing the construction of CN Sugar Factory was not an easy task.
“Madam Vice President, I was deployed here by President Museveni to promote development, not hinder it. However, I was on the verge of requesting a transfer due to individuals who, instead of supporting development, were actively opposing CN Sugar. It was very unfortunate,” Mr. Kulaba said.
He added, “Namayingo people, I am one of those who want to see you employed because, when you have jobs, the crime rate decreases.”
Meanwhile, Namit Patel, the proprietor of CN Sugar Factory, praised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for allowing the company to invest in Uganda.
“We have so far invested close to 35 million US dollars and aim to employ over 2,000 local people. The government should expedite the process of issuing us an operational license so we can begin production as soon as possible,” Patel stated.
In July 2024, the Namayingo District Monitoring Team, led by Deputy RDC Trevor Solomon Baleke, and comprising the LC5 Chairperson, Ronald Sanya, along with members of the District Executive Committee (DEC), DISO, DPC, District Crime Intelligence Officer, CAO, and other technocrats, conducted a comprehensive monitoring of CN Sugar Factory’s projects to assess the company’s readiness.
The team was impressed to find over 1,175 acres of sugarcane plantations ready for processing. Odako Zadoko, the Namayingo District Commercial Officer, noted that the plantations far exceeded the 500 hectares required by the government.
