Kampala, 9th August 2017.

The Uganda Free Zones Authority (UFZA) has issued three (3) Developers’ Licences to M/s Wagagai Ltd, M/s Jambo Roses Ltd and Ugarose Flowers Ltd today Wednesday, 09th August at Wagagai Flower Farm, Lwaka, Wakiso District.

The main activities that will take place in the Free Zones are, growing and exporting flower cuttings for both M/s Wagagai Ltd and M/s Jambo Roses Ltd whereas M/s Ugarose Flowers Ltd activities are growing, packaging and exporting of fresh cut rose flowers.

M/s Wagagai Limited is a Limited Liability company that was incorporated on the 16th October 1997 and it stands on 69 Hectares at Lwaka in Wakiso District. The Company is currently valued at US$ 22,452,300 (equivalent to Euros 20,000,000) and has projected to invest an additional US$14,105,932 between 2017 and 2021 in the next 5 years bringing the total investment to US$ 36,558,232.

Secondly, M/s Jambo Roses Limited is a Limited Liability company that was incorporated on 24th February 1995 and stands on 104.17 Hectares located on plot 1, Block 497, Buswa village, Wakiso District. The Company is currently valued at US$2,189,184 and projects to invest an additional US$ 1,765,470 between 2017 and 2021, bringing the total investment to US$ 3,954,654.

And, M/s Ugarose Flowers Limited was incorporated on 31st July 1996, it is established on 19 Hectares of land located at Bwerenga in Wakiso. Company is currently valued at US$ 3,000,000 and projects to invest an additional US$1,900,000 between 2017 and 2021, bringing the total investment to US$4,900, 000.

They are registered for the sole purpose of operating as Free Zones in Uganda, as required by Sec 25(3) of the Free Zones Act.

The Minister of State for Privatisation and Investment, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development officiated at the ceremony and reassured the investors that the Government of Uganda is willing to continue to offer unwavering support to the Private Sector to ease doing business in Uganda. Government is making major public investments to address the deficits in infrastructure especially in the energy and transport sectors.

The number of companies that have been licensed to develop Free Zones in Uganda now comes to eight; M/s Arua SEZ, M/s Nilus Ltd, M/s Uganda Wood Impex Ltd, M/s Fiduga Ltd, M/s Wagagai Ltd, M/s Jambo Roses Ltd, M/s, M/s Royal Van Zanten and M/s Ugarose Flowers Ltd.

The establishment of Free Zones will attract benefits to the respective communities in terms of infrastructure development, skills transfer to the labour force, and security. Some of the companies have also set up health facilities and schools as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility thus bringing services closer to people.

UFZA is mandated to develop, manage, market, maintain, supervise and control Free Zones in Uganda.  The Government’s main Policy objective of establishing Free Zones was to promote investment in the manufacturing and processing sector in order to boost Uganda’s exports.