Overview:
Ugandan government officials apologize for major delays in business certification. Col. Nakalema warns of action amid complaints from frustrated entrepreneurs.
KAMPALA, Uganda — The Ugandan government has apologized to local entrepreneurs for “unnecessary delays” in product certification by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), with one official warning that people could lose their jobs over the issue.
Col. Edith Nakalema, head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), and Lynette Bagonza, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, met with owners of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the SHIPU offices to address a backlog of complaints.
Nakalema said President Yoweri Museveni has received numerous reports of investors being delayed and frustrated, with some product certifications taking more than 400 days. She said the president is “about to take action” and that some people “are likely to lose their jobs.”
“We sincerely regret the frustration this long wait has caused to your enterprises,” Nakalema said. “We cannot continue like this.”
Bagonza also apologized for the issues, pledging that the ministry would resolve the problems. She said the ministry had already appointed a new board to oversee UNBS operations and called for a “backlog strategy” to reduce the delays.
“As our chief clients, we should be supporting you to make investments successful, not to make you suffer as we build our nation together,” Bagonza said.
UNBS officials, including Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa and National Standards Council Chairman Eng. James Kalibbala, also apologized to the investors. Kasigwa acknowledged that MSMEs are the “backbone of any economy” and said the bureau has a new strategic plan in place to improve efficiency.
Entrepreneurs at the meeting shared their frustrations. Gaster Lule Ntake, proprietor of Ntake Group, complained about “exorbitant” fees and slow service. Dr. Anna Nakanwagi Mukwaya, a public health specialist, said she had suffered from delayed certification for three years, a problem that affects business and public health.
“When we pay money as investors, the process of audit should be expedited and then the product is certified so that it goes to the market,” Mukwaya said.