Failure to recognise Nalukolongo as an industrial park hampering its growth, says Knight Frank report
Uganda Investment Authority says that because Nalukolongo Industrial Park is a private establishment under the Sembule license, it has not been gazetted as a government-operated facility. Photo / File
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- Knight Frank further indicates that the Nalukolongo Industrial Area has no plan, thus, being prone to flooding, while at the same time, roads within the park are not maintained
A report by Knight Frank has noted that the lack of recognition by government is hampering the expansion of the 337.5-acre Nalukolongo Industrial Park.
The report shows that there is no gazetted map showing where the industrial park starts and ends like other government-recognized parks, which hampers its potential of becoming an industrial hub, southwest of Kampala.
“Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) does not have this industrial park on its list of gazetted parks across the country, hence hampering its expansion,” the report reads in part, noting that because of lack of recognition, so many residential buildings and retail businesses have sprung around the park, which has made expansion more difficult.
The report further indicates that the Nalukolongo Industrial Area has no plan, thus, being prone to flooding, while at the same time, roads within the park are not maintained.
The park is also located in a valley, which, according to Knight Frank, has made it difficult for companies to invest there given that construction in the area is highly capital-intensive.
Mr Joshua Kizza, a research assistant with Knight Frank, said that gazetting Nalukolongo as an industrial park would ensure potential investors of the availability of government and wider stakeholder support and services.
“If government recognized this industrial park and gazettes it, investors would know where the boundaries of the park are, which would allow it to expand,” he said, noting that majority of investors in the park had invested in agro-processing, storage, construction materials, and steel manufacturing, especially iron bars.
The report also indicates that Nalukolongo is strategically located as an industrial park, given its proximity to the Central Business District and the existence of a major highway, connecting to western and southwestern parts of the country.
However, Mr David Rupiny, the UIA deputy director of communications, said Nalukolongo was a private park licensed under Ssembule.
“It is not gazetted because it's not a government establishment. It is a private establishment owned by licensee – Ssembule,” he said, noting that the parks within the Kampala Metropolitan Area managed by UIA are Namanve, Bweyogerere, Luzira, and Nakawa, among others.
UIA also manages a number of parks outside the Kampala Metropolitan Area, among which include Jinja-Kira, Mbale, Kapeka, Mbalala, Lugazi, and Buikwe.
Mr Rupiny also indicated he was not aware whether the owners of Nalukolongo had applied to government to gazette the park.
