The Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) has urged the government to consider retaliation mechanisms against the Government of Kenya for what they termed as ill-treatment of Uganda and severe injury to investment.

“Our very blunt demand as manufacturers is there should be a retaliatory measure because we cannot be in a marriage where you cannot enter some bedrooms. Every time we speak about the mistreatment of Uganda, the government is in un-ending engagements with Nairobi and other capitals,” said Richard Mubiru, the Executive Director, UMA.

“Since there is no level of dialogue that has offered better results for Uganda, the private sector cannot survive in an environment of diplomatic appeasement that is seriously injuring investments,” Mubiru added while presenting a paper on the state of the economy during a meeting of the Committee on National Economy on Thursday, 26 October 2023.

Officials from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) were also in attendance.

The director for policy and advocacy at PSFU, Julius Byaruhanga said that the ban on milk exports to Kenya in March 2023 has grossly affected trade with companies like Brookside Uganda laying off half of their employees.

He decried the recent ban on wheat and maize exports to Kenya, cognizant that Kenya has been the biggest consumer of Ugandan maize, with export revenue worth US$92 million registered in 2020 and US$ 52 million in 2021. 

Isingiro County South Member of Parliament, Alex Byarugaba said there is a need for the private sector to complement the government’s efforts in regulating what he described as illegal trade, saying it has contributed to the ban on Ugandan products. 

Kalungu East County MP who doubles as the Shadow Minister for East African Community Affairs, Francis Katabaazi said there is a need to improve diplomatic relations in the region saying the trade wars are not only with Kenya.