Journalist Andrew Mwenda backs Uganda government investment in Dei BioPharma after facility tour

MATUGGA, Uganda — Veteran journalist and commentator Andrew Mwenda has strongly backed the Ugandan government’s massive financial investment in Dei BioPharma, reversing his earlier criticisms after a firsthand inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility.

Mwenda’s endorsement follows a recent public exchange with President Yoweri Museveni, who criticized the commentator for dismissing the pharmaceutical project without reviewing its technical infrastructure or interviewing its management.

Speaking to reporters during a guided tour of the Matugga plant on Friday, Mwenda stated that his initial skepticism was misplaced. He noted that after reviewing the facility’s advanced equipment and checking filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, he believes the economic potential of the venture justifies the significant public funding.

Public financial records indicate the state has allocated 723.4 billion Ugandan shillings to the pharmaceutical firm since 2020, with an additional 1.6 trillion shillings approved to complete production sites in Matugga and Kamuli.

Mwenda likened the government’s funding strategy to Western venture capitalism models, arguing that African states must act as primary risk-takers due to a lack of local private risk capital. He stated that even capturing a modest slice of the multi-billion-dollar global biological drug market would generate revenues that significantly dwarf the public funds committed.

While endorsing the funding, Mwenda criticized state procurement contradictions. He urged the Ministry of Health and the National Medical Stores to stop sourcing bulk pharmaceutical supplies from India and China, arguing that government institutions must act as the primary market for locally manufactured biologicals to ensure the investment strategy succeeds.

Dei BioPharma founder Matthias Magoola welcomed the journalist’s backing, reiterating that the company holds more than 100 patents for advanced therapeutic proteins and vaccines. Magoola projected that the ongoing industrial build-out will eventually create tens of thousands of direct jobs and position Uganda as the first African nation to manufacture complex biological drugs.

Dr. Patrick Wakida, chairman of the Dei BioPharma board of governors, clarified the ownership structure during the visit, noting that the government holds a 9.4 percent equity stake in the enterprise on behalf of the public, with private shareholders retaining the remaining balance. Wakida defended the scale of the project, stating that the facility is positioned to create an economy within an economy by generating substantial tax revenues, creating supplier opportunities, and significantly contributing to the national gross domestic product.