This new development will begin in earnest after the government receives all the land titles to facilitate this process aimed at attracting investors into the country

This new development will begin in earnest after the government receives all the land titles to facilitate this process aimed at attracting investors into the country.

Mukiza was speaking at a Thanksgiving Ceremony held at Kisoro Tourism Hotel organised by Bafumbira leaders to thank President Museveni for appointing him, their “son”, as UIA Executive Director.

“I want to thank all the district local governments in Uganda that donated land on which the planned 25-industrial parks are to be constructed in a period of five years,” Mukiza said.

“I want to specifically thank the Kisoro District Local Government that donated 620 acres of land located near the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border with Uganda. Plans are underway to have all the donated land titled, connected with utilities such as roads, electricity, industrial water and internet to make them attractive to investors,” Mukiza added.

He went on to thank the government for its work in the ongoing road construction project in DRC, which he noted will create market linkages for the Ugandan-produced goods once all the industrial parks are fully operational.

The Kisoro District Woman MP, who is also the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Ms Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, Bufumbira North MP John Kamara, Bufumbira South MP Alex Seruganda, Bufumbira East MP James Nsaba Buturo and the Kisoro District chairperson, Mr Abel Bizimana, thanked President Museveni for appointing “their own Mufumbira”, Mukiza, as UIA Executive Director.

Kisoro District is a district in the South Western Region of Uganda. The town of Kisoro is the site of the district headquarters.

“Mr Mukiza passed interviews for the job of UIA executive director in December 2019 and his appointment was delayed until May 2021. This delay annoyed all the Bafumbira living in Kisoro District and in the diaspora, thinking our son was being marginalised by the government that we have been supporting 100 percent ever since it assumed power. We are now so grateful that our son was finally appointed to the office,” Mr Bizimana said.

Bizimana and Dr Buturo said the unity of Bafumbira in Kisoro District was what galvanised the appointment of Mr Mukiza to the UIA top job.

Ms Mateke, a top Kisoro notable, appealed to Mukiza to keep his fingers short by not being corrupt and thereby not scandalising the bafumbira people.

The construction of the roads connecting Uganda and the DRC is not only a blessing to the people in the border community but to the national economy because of cross-border trade. I am sure once these roads are complete, all the countries in East Africa will benefit from this development,” she said.

The UIA was set up under the Investment Code 1991 (revised in 2019). According to its website, it is a statutory agency mandated to initiate and support measures that enhance investment in Uganda, and advise the government on appropriate policies conducive for investment promotion and growth.

The Executive Director of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Mr Robert Mukiza