Concern as cement prices shoot up amid growing scarcity

A bag of cement has increased to Shs38,000 from about Shs27,000 in the last two weeks amid concern over growing scarcity of the much-needed building material.

In many hardware shops and cement wholesalers around Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts, there is low supply of cement, according to a mini-survey conducted by this website over the weekend.

Joyce Mudhanga, who owns a hardware shop, said she no longer gets a steady supply of cement.

“It is really scarce. You have to book three days in advance for the suppliers to come. In the past, they have been coming regularly,” she said.

Jonathan Ntege, another dealer, claimed Tororo Cement factory closed business to do some repairs, leading to shortage and subsequent rise in cement prices.

“Most building sites have halted works because of the scarcity,” he said on Sunday.

This website has learnt that the Tororo Cement factory has closed its production line temporarily for maintenance of its machines that have been breaking down quite often.

“In our mills, efficiency has not been okay because they are overworked. There has not been time to service them and Umeme is servicing their lines so the factory does not have power which is also affecting production so there is generally shortage,” a worker at the factory is quoted by URN as saying.