Uganda manufacturers ask for more time
Submitted by godwin on April 27, 2009 - 4:55pm.
A fully-fledged East African Customs Union, which allows free movement of goods across the borders, is supposed to be operational in January 2010. However, Ugandan manufacturers have asked for more time saying the country’s manufacturing sector is yet to be competitive. What is your take?
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Uganda Manufactures
Uganda Manufactures Association. Promoting the growth of Industry. A leading association for all manufacturers and manufacturing service providers in East. But the power shortage is thus affecting the country's export sector and killing any hope for manufacturers to keep in business in Uganda.
The world never waits for
The world never waits for the undecided let's move on leave the undecided behind.
Common Market
if some countries are not ready to enter into common market, it would be good to let those that are ready to go ahead and sign the protocol. Those not ready to be given a deadline by which to join as demonstration of their readiness for EAC integration, which will never succeed until there is free cross-border movement of all factors of production.
manufacturers
what? until when?
Uganda Manufacturers request more time for implementation of CU
Its undoubtibly Uganda's manufacturing sector is relatively small and has struggled to keep up with other sectors of the economy. The main problem with Ugandan manaufacturers is fear of competition from Kenya. Uganda's manufacturers should instead lobby for lowering of cost of doing business in Uganda esp energy, transport (railways +roads), access to finance and cost of other utilities rather than dilly dally of the full implementation of CU as this will not solve this issue (competitivenss). The five years period of application of asymettry principle has not benefited the manufacturers of either Uganda or Tanzania because the countries did nothing to addess the issues of competitivenss and instead collect the little reveneue on internal tariff charged to Kenya products entering to these countries. Uganda manufacturing sector has potential markets both domestic and exports (eg Southern Sudan) which need to concentrate rather than keep fearing Kenya. How 5% import duty from Kenya products will make Uganda same products competitive in the domestic market. Let us address the root causes and not dealing with symptoms of the problem.