UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | Last month, the State Minister for Investment and Privatisation, Ms Evelyn Anite, shared that the government will give all local construction projects to the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces’ (UPDF) Engineering Brigade.
After visiting factories in industrial parks in Bweyogerere and Luzira, Ms Evelyn Anite applauded the UPDF for completing previous projects with timeliness, patriotism, discipline, and competence.
“We have tested these guys, and they have delivered what we want. In the past, we have given projects to foreign firms, and they have done a shoddy job. We have seen the work they did in the National Leaders’ Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi. They are now building a beautiful Uganda Free Zone in Entebbe, and they are also constructing the Jinja industrial park,” she said.
The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) has partnered with the UPDF Engineering Brigade to construct the 25 industrial parks all over the country. The UAI expects to create approximately 400,000 jobs because of building the industrial parks.
According to the Vision 2040 strategic plan and the Third National Development Plan, Uganda’s economic growth hinges on industrialisation. The construction of industrial parks will encourage local production.
President Museveni asserts that even though a particular public segment opposes the decision, the UPDF will continue the construction of local projects.
He announced that the UPDF Engineering Brigade would handle all government schools and hospitals projects from the 2021/ 2022 financial year.
He further explained, “for some reasons, NEC is cheaper, unlike private companies that want to make profits but also use borrowed money.”
He said, “The Ministry of Works built Ntare High School, but it is still around. This is something we are sorting out, and I thank the UPDF for responding to my call. I am determined to see the UPDF construction brigade, which can turn into a construction company, continue doing most of the government work.”
Lt Gen James Mugira, the managing director of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), which serves as the commercial arm of the UPDF, expressed gratitude to the President for entrusting the NEC with the upcoming local construction projects. He explained the advantages of the decision.
He said, “when the UPDF undertakes government projects, they are executed at lower costs, on time and there is no bureaucracy, kickbacks or whistleblowers to raise investigations that will stall the process. You therefore need to vouch for us in as many government projects as possible.”
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