GULU– Gulu City will host this year’s 22nd edition of the East African Community [ EAC ] Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises [ MSMEs ] trade fair, but the city’s leaders are worried that Uganda People’s Defence Forces [ UPDF ] Engineering Brigade, is slow to finish the renovation of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda Memorial Grounds, the venue for the expo.
The 21st edition of the EAC trade fair was held in September last year at the Rock City Grounds in Mwanza, Tanzania and the 22nd edition was pushed to Uganda.
Following that decision, Gulu City and Mbarara City were picked as possible grounds to host this year’s trade fair, but Gulu City, led by the mayor Alfred Okwonga, engaged various stakeholders within the city, neighbouring districts and Kampala to win the bid to host the event expected to attract EAC Heads of State.
In 2016, the government injected Shs1 billion to rehabilitate the facility, the contract being awarded to UPDF. However, to date, the UPDF Engineering Brigade is yet to complete construction works on the 12,000 square metre facility that is supposed to have modern sanitary and toilet attributes.
Now, Gulu City Mayor, Alfred Okwonga is pleading with the leadership of the forces to consider completing the construction of the grounds as the city prepares to host the regional business event.
Days ago, Okwonga requested Gen Salim Saleh, a presidential advisor on military matters, to engage the leadership of UPDF so that the works at the facility are completed in time for the trade fair expected to attract exhibitors from the EAC, Africa, and beyond.
“We will need more sheds; sanitary facilities. We don’t have any forum where we can reach the UPDF hierarchy to have them complete the construction works,” Okwonga told Saleh who is also the national coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation.
Saleh in response said that he would forward the request of the city to the force’s leadership.
The trade expos over the years have benefited small traders in building capacity for value addition, and cross-border trade. Over the years, the region has experienced more traders formalising their businesses, adding value to their products, and expanding and acquiring new markets.
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises MSMEs play a crucial role in the economic development of East African countries, accounting for 90 percent of businesses and 80 percent of employment, especially among youth and women.
However, there is need for EAC Partner States to provide the necessary support to ensure MSMEs are export-ready and ready to compete with more prominent players and offer alternatives to imported goods.
Banks and Financial Institutions have already driven a significant number of initiatives in East Africa to support MSMEs, including the suspension of loan repayments, fee waivers, relief loans, and expedited loan approvals in an effort to support post COVID-19 economic recovery in the sector.
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