By KT Reporter
President Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart William Samoei Ruto on Sunday presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of a USD 500 million Devki Mega Steel Plant in Kayoro village, Osukuru County, Tororo District.
The vertically integrated steel facility, developed by Kenyan industrialist Dr. Narendra Raval of the Devki Group, will employ 15,000 Ugandans in Tororo and Mbarara at commencement.
Dr. Raval said that the majority of the jobs will come from the integrated steel operations and related activities supported by investments already made in Tororo, Mbarara, and the upcoming Kabale Iron Ore refinery.
President Museveni, who placed the event within Africa’s broader historical struggle, noted that the continent has endured centuries of exploitation and economic injustice.
Museveni said that for over 500 years, Africa has been losing value through the slave trade, colonial systems, and modern economic practices that extract raw materials without adding value.
He also emphasized that the liberation involves stopping the long-standing trend of exporting African minerals and jobs.
“At full operationalization, we shall be one step closer to reversing the squandering of Africa’s resources—human, mineral, jobs, and foreign exchange,” he added. President Museveni revealed that Dr.
Raval will also start another major iron ore project in Kabale that will create more than 16,000 jobs, expanding industrial opportunities across the country.
He cautioned Ugandans against frustrating investors with compensation disputes, giving assurance that the government would handle necessary payments.
“The man is going to invest USD 500 million here, so please don’t bother him about money for compensation. The government will handle that,” he said.
President Ruto said that the steel plant will generate employment for the youth, support regional supply chains, and anchor East Africa’s self-sufficiency.
Ruto also commended President Museveni for championing regional integration within the East African Community (EAC), saying the environment of cooperation across the region is what enables projects like Devki Steel to succeed.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, said the Mega Steel Project is an important milestone for East Africa and evidence of deepening regional industrial integration.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
