The resident district commissioner (RDC) of Luwero, Richard Bwabye Ntulume, has praised President Yoweri Museveni for his ongoing policy of attracting investors to Uganda.
According to the RDC, this policy has facilitated several investments that have led to the rapid transformation of communities. Ntulume specifically highlighted Victoria Sugar Limited, a multi-million-dollar venture based in Luwero, which has invested over sh542b in the district alone.
He credited the President for making a wise decision to attract and support the construction of a large-scale sugar factory in the district, which has significantly benefited the local community through job creation and providing a market for agricultural produce.
The RDC made these remarks to journalists on Wednesday following a tour of Victoria Sugar Limited, located in the Ndibulungi zone of Butuntumula sub-county.
He was responding to concerns regarding the factory’s operations, including claims of non-compliance with environmental regulations.
Accompanied by Henry Musisi, the principal assistant chief administrative offi
cer and other district officials, Ntulume was shown around the factory by group operations manager Ismael Nasifu, along with other company officials.
“I am here on my routine duty to monitor both government services and local developments, but I am particularly happy that the President’s policy of bringing investors to Uganda has attracted Victoria Sugar to invest in Luwero,” Ntulume said.
According to the RDC, the company started small but has grown rapidly, expanding its investments and employs more than 3,000 Ugandans.
“Victoria Sugar is now one of the largest investments in Luwero, contributing over sh2b in monthly taxes,” he explained.
The RDC also commended the company for converting its waste — specifically bagasse, the dry pulp residue left after sugarcane juice extraction — into 16MW of power, of which only six are used on site.
The remaining 10MW, enough to power over 3,000 households, are sold to the Government and fed into the national power grid.
“This area, which was once a bush, now sees nearby towns and trading centres growing rapidly, creating a range of economic benefits, including improved livelihoods for farmers who now have a consistent market for their produce,” Ntulume added.
The RDC appealed to the residents of the area to support the company’s growth rather than oppose it, stating: “Anyone who opposes the factory is an enemy of Uganda and the people of Luwero.”
He pledged to continue working with local stakeholders to monitor the factory’s operations and ensure it fulfills its environmental obligations.
Nasifu assured the district leadership and local communities that the company was fully compliant with all legal requirements, including those relating to worker welfare and environmental protection.
He also emphasised the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship. The factory, which occupies 100 acres, is part of a larger estate totalling 18 square miles. The business is one of 16 companies under a group based in Jinja, and it also owns two square miles in Masindi.
Nasifu highlighted the company’s growth, with its daily cane-crushing capacity expanding from 1,500 tonnes to 7,000 tonnes, thanks to new machinery.
The factory now produces 560 tonnes of sugar daily, which is sold both locally and in regional markets, including South Sudan and the DR Congo.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Nasifu, Ntulume, Musisi and other officials on a guided tour of the factory on Wednesday. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)
