As part of the implementation of the Buy Uganda Build Uganda policy, the government of Uganda through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives has organized a campaign to promote locally made products in Western Uganda.
The campaign started with the mobilization of local processors, manufacturers and commercial farmers from western Uganda including Tooro, Rwenzori, Kigezi, Ankole and Bunyoro regions with a call to take advantage of Government’s deliberate effort to support local producers and service suppliers with a view of increasing the domestic market share of their products.
During the mobilization meetings held between11th to 15th July 2025 in Mbarara City, Bushenyi, Kasese, Kabale, Fort Portal, Masindi and Hoima, the Senior Commercial officer and BUBU desk officer at the ministry of Trade James Makula told local producers and service suppliers in the region that government is committed to support them dominate the domestic market, however, the challenge has been low production by the local producers, failure by some local products to conform to quality standards and the negative mindset by some Ugandans that local products were unavailable and of poor quality.
He however, noted that, since government and stakeholders started implementing the BUBU policy in 2017, there has been a great improvement in the consumption trends of Ugandans with more preference given to locally made products, especially in the sectors where quality products are readily available and can sustainably be supplied by local producers (Uganda-based).
“Over the years, we have observed a change in the choices of Ugandan consumers with many preferring locally made products especially in the area of furniture, leather and leather products, iron and steel products, construction materials, cement, food and beverages, electric cables and conductors, pharmaceuticals among others”, explained Makula.
He said this change is also attributed to a deliberate effort by government and partners to build the capacity of the local private sector especially in the area of conformity to quality standards.
In addition to mobilizing the local producers and service suppliers, the ministry of trade has organized a regional BUBU expo where local processors, manufactures and commercial farmers will be given a platform to showcase the products to the general public. According to Makula, this expo is the first of its kind to be organized outside Kampala with the aim of promoting the products made within the Western region to increase their domestic market share.
“We have a number of processors and manufacturers in the western region, and this expo is intended to give them a platform to showcase what they produce, and make their products known to the local consumers”, said Makula
The expo which is scheduled to take place from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th July 2025 at Independence Park in Mbarara City, will also bring together stakeholders in the agriculture, processing and manufacturing sectors, local government leaders in the region and others in a symposium where they will deliberate on issues affecting local producers, and interventions on how to dominate the domestic market.
The event will also give an opportunity to showgoers to renew their national IDs with NIRA, donate blood, register their businesses with URSB, receive free tree seedlings from NFA and access information on product certification from UNBS among others.
The expo is organized under the theme “Buy Uganda Build Uganda: Driving Growth through Sustainable Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises”
Cabinet passed the Policy in 2014 and it was launched in 2017 with the Strategy and Framework for Implementation. The policy was launched as a result of incessant demand by local manufactures to Government to develop and implement deliberate interventions to support them. The aim of the Policy is to enhance the domestic market share of local firms in the domestic market through public procurement and ordinary channels of commerce.
