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President Museveni Bans Import of Used Clothes, Urges Ugandans to Support Local Industry

© Sputnik . Press Service of the Russian Foreign Ministry / Go to the mediabankIn this handout photo released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Museveni talks to the media at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following their meeting in Kampala, Uganda, on July 26, 2022. Editorial use only, no archive, no commercial use.
In this handout photo released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Museveni talks to the media at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following their meeting in Kampala, Uganda, on July 26, 2022. Editorial use only, no archive, no commercial use. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 25.08.2023
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In 2014, the government of Uganda, in an attempt to promote sustainable development in the country and achieve economic and social growth, launched a policy nicknamed Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU), which aims to industrialize the East African country.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has issued a ban on the importation of second-hand clothes and electric meters, encouraging citizens to support locally-made products as part of the Buy Uganda Build Uganda policy.
During the opening of 16 factories at the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park on Thursday, President Museveni reiterated the importance of implementing the BUBU initiative for the development of the country.

"Stop buying second-hand clothes, these clothes are for dead people; when they [whites] die, they organise the clothes and bring them to Africa," he said, as quoted by local media. "I have declared war on second-hand clothes to promote African wear. We are going to stop importation of second-hand clothes to create jobs from textile factories. Anybody who will stand in my way, I will crash him."

The Buy Uganda Build Uganda policy, approved by Cabinet in 2014, aims to increase consumption and procurement of goods and services produced in the country. However, the president has expressed dissatisfaction with government agencies for their lack of support in effectively implementing the policy.
Citing the case of Chint Meters and Electrical (U) Ltd, a factory in the industrial park that produces single-phase meters with an annual output of 300,000 units, President Museveni criticized officials for opting to import instead of buying locally manufactured meters.
Women buys clothes inside a market in Lagos, Nigeria, Monday June 7, 2021. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 05.06.2023
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"Our factories here are making meters, but the civil servants prefer importing. I order government bodies to buy meters and cables starting September 1. They should have stopped this automatically without waiting for me to come," the president said.

The Chairman of the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, Paul Zhang, expressed optimism that the park will provide employment opportunities for about 12,000 people once the factories are completed.
The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong, highlighted the strong interest of Chinese investors in the East African country, saying that the commissioning of more factories shows their commitment. He noted that the volume of trade between the two countries has increased by 6.6 percent, reaching $1.13 billion last year.
Uganda's Minister of State for Investment, Evelyne Anite, announced the creation of 5,000 factories across the country under the BUBU initiative, demonstrating the government's commitment to industrial growth and economic development.
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