Ugandans excited as China Town Store replaces former Game Store in Lugogo

Rodney Jordan Kinyera, a partner at Adalci Advocates, shared a picture of the store on X, sparking a humorous conversation as Ugandans speculated about the products they expect to find there.

An X user, @mike_muhima, commented on Kinyera's post: "I sympathise with Kampala traders, but that 250 bob Hisense Smart TV + PS5 combo deal will be too good to ignore. 😂😂😂"

Another user remarked: "These are the things I love 😂😂👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Portable fan, speaker, juicer, makeup storage, toothbrush, and fork all in one for 5k 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾"

Someone else added: "Percolator with a power bank at 8k."

China Town stores have a presence in different countries but are often met with resistance from local traders due to their ability to undercut prices.

In Uganda, wholesale traders in Kikuubo are already protesting against Chinese involvement in retail.

The Game Store, which previously occupied the warehouse now being used by China Town, announced its departure from Kampala in 2022. It had been the anchor of Lugogo Mall, which was the premier shopping destination for Kampala’s A-class. Opening its doors in 2004 with a reported investment of US$11 million, the store was seen as a symbol of international confidence in the Ugandan economy.

See: Government unveils plans to transition Kikuubo traders into manufacturing

Its closure followed the recent exits of other prominent foreign stores such as Shoprite, Uchumi, Nakumatt, and Tuskys.