The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Henry Musasizi, has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to agro-industrialisation and coffee value addition in Uganda.
Speaking during his visit to the Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo, Musasizi assessed progress on construction works and evaluated the implementation of coffee value addition initiatives at the facility.
Nelson Tugume, CEO of Inspire Africa Group, acknowledged Government support but noted critical infrastructure constraints, including the need for 20MW of electricity and 2 million litres of food-grade water daily to operate at full capacity. Efforts are underway to establish a dedicated power line from the Mirama Hills substation and a water pipeline from Kahengye, with over five kilometres of piping already installed.
Amos Kankunda, MP for Rwampara County, emphasized the importance of field visits by legislators to Government-supported projects, saying such engagements enable informed decision-making under Uganda’s Agro-industrialisation, Tourism, Manufacturing, and Science, Technology and Innovation (ATMS) strategy.
Musasizi commended Inspire Africa Group for its transformative vision, noting its alignment with Uganda’s economic ambitions. “I am here on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and I wish to affirm that H.E. the President has strong belief in this project,” he said.
The Minister highlighted that the Park could process up to 11% of Uganda’s coffee output, improve farmer incomes, and strengthen Uganda’s competitiveness in global coffee markets. He also emphasized the integration of coffee tourism and domestic consumption as a model for promoting patriotism in coffee and expanding market opportunities.
Musasizi pledged support for the designation of the Africa Coffee Park as a Special Economic Zone, aimed at attracting further investment. He stressed the importance of strengthening infrastructure, including electricity, water, and road networks, to support industrial growth.
He further revealed that the Ministries of Finance and Science, Technology and Innovation are collaborating to streamline governance at the Park, ensuring that innovations developed there are effectively commercialized for both domestic and international markets.
