The commissioning of the NEC Tinned Beef and Beans Factory in Gomba District has prompted President Yoweri Museveni to direct all government agencies responsible for licensing investments to ensure that approved projects receive the essential infrastructure and services needed to become fully operational.
Speaking during the commissioning of the factory on Wednesday, Museveni said investors continue to face unnecessary delays because some government institutions issue licences without coordinating with other sectors responsible for providing critical utilities such as electricity, water and transport infrastructure.
He cited the NEC Tinned Beef and Beans Factory as an example, noting that its operations had been delayed due to the lack of electricity despite being a licensed investment. The President attributed such challenges to poor coordination among government institutions, saying this informed his decision to appoint new leaders in the investment sector, including State Minister for Investment Hajjat Aminah Mukalazi, to improve service delivery and eliminate bottlenecks affecting investors.
The factory is a joint venture between the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) and Lagwa Company Limited. It is expected to process beef for both domestic and export markets, with the capacity to slaughter up to 150 head of cattle daily. The facility will also produce canned beef and beans for local and international markets. Museveni praised private investor Francis Lagwa for partnering with NEC to establish the factory, describing the investment as a strategic addition to Uganda’s agro-industrialisation agenda. He pledged government support to mobilise sufficient cattle supplies to sustain the factory’s operations.
He said Uganda’s investment ambitions require stronger organisation and strategic planning across sectors, pointing to reforms in the coffee industry that have increased annual production from about three million bags to nine million bags, with a target of over 12 million bags. He also cited growth in milk production to 5.4 billion litres annually and an increase in the national cattle herd from about three million in 1986 to approximately 16 million today.
According to Museveni, continued investment in value addition and better organisation of the livestock sector will create more opportunities for farmers, processors and exporters while contributing to Uganda’s target of growing the economy to USD 500 billion. State Minister for Energy Sidronius Opolot Okasai assured the President that plans are underway to improve electricity supply to support the factory’s operations and other investments in the area.
Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka said the ministry is considering procuring canned beef products from the factory to supply dry rations for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). He said the ministry is increasingly investing in production and value addition projects that contribute directly to national economic development. Kiwanuka added that the defence sector is supporting Uganda’s economic transformation agenda by investing in the government’s four priority sectors for wealth creation.
NEC Managing Director Lt. Gen. James Mugira appealed to the Ministry of Defence to prioritise local suppliers when procuring the approximately two million annual beef rations required by the UPDF. Mugira said the Gomba factory meets international quality standards and has the capacity to handle large procurement orders. He added that the facility will provide a reliable market for commercial cattle farmers while boosting Uganda’s meat processing and export industry-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
