BY OBED KULE KITHENDE KIBAYA SIBAMINYA
Authorities in Kasese Municipality have given an ultimatum of up to June this year to the investors in Kasese Industrial and Business Park to have developed their sites failure of which their contracts will be cancelled.
The decision was reached yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting that was held at Kasese Municipal Council hall in Kasese town.
The meeting was aimed at finding out why the project which was launched in 2017 has only attracted 25% of the active investors on ground.
In 2017, government allocated 217 acres of land to Kasese Municipal Council to host the Kasese Industrial and Business Park. At that time, 16 investors applied for land on which to establish their business and they were accredited but only four turned up and are currently operating from the pieces of land that were allocated to them.
Mr. Godfrey Bwambale, the Kasese Municipality Principal Commercial Officer, says in March last year, Kasese Municipal Council received shillings 4 billion for the construction of roads, extension of power and water in the Industrial and Business Park located in Kahokya Cell of the Central Division but despite putting everything in place, the number of active investors has always remained low.
However, Bwambale says the delay by some investors to develop their sites could have been caused by the post effects of Covid-19.
Mr. Chance Kahindo, the Kasese Municipality Mayor, says they have given an ultimatum of up to June to all the investors to have developed their sites and failure of which Council will re-advertise their sites.
According to Kahindo, the Industrial and Business Park was established mainly to add value to the locally produced goods including agricultural products.
ENDS