Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa being taken on a guided tour of Kiira Motors Corporation in Jinja (PHOTO/Courtesy)
JINJA —The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa has pledged Parliament’s support to the Kiira Motors Corporation that is currently constructing a vehicle plant at Jinja Industrial Park.
The deputy speaker who made a courtesy call on Wednesday, October 12 was taken on a guided tour of the plant by the Executive Chairman Kiira Motors, Prof. Sandy Stevens Tichodri-Tagboa and the CEO Paul Musasizi.
The first phase of the Kiira vehicle plant facilities include an assembly shop, a warehouse, in-plant circulation roads, perimeter fence, waste water treatment plant, site drainage and utility distribution.
The construction is being undertaken by UPDF through National Enterprise Corporation and supervised by Makerere University consultants.
Mr. Tayebwa said he was impressed by the work being done by the National Enterprise Corporation, a commercial arm of the UPDF.
“This [project] is a true testimony that the moment you believe in your national capabilities, you can move mountains. Our very own National Enterprise Corporation is the one putting up such a massive project”, he noted, pledging that Parliament, where he is a deputy speaker would do all that it takes to ensure successful completion of the vehicle plant.
“This project still needs more support and it shouldn’t be a project which is only championed by the president alone but by all of us,” the deputy speaker said.
He added: “this is a key project for the nation and it’s something we’re proud of as a country.”
Mr. Tayebwa also urged Kiira Motors Corporation to run the facility the with a private sector mindset.
“I urge you, don’t run like a government institution. I have been reading through reports, most of the government institutions are practicing cooperate governance,” he said, also warning staff not run like a public servants.
“Those who perform, should get out of the way, we bring in others. Don’t only look at it as a business, but look at it as a springboard for training more Ugandans so that they can go and work in other manufacturing factories”.
He said no country has fully transformed without venturing into industrialisation and manufacturing.
The plant sits on 100 acres of land. The facility will start production at 9 buses a day, ramped up to 22 later.
In August last year, President Museveni directed that Shs141 billion, which would have been spent on the construction of a road, be given to Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) to complete the building of their vehicle plant project.
President Museveni, who laid a foundation stone at the plant in Jinja Industrial Park said the completion of the plant will produce quicker results than the road to be constructed.
KMC is a state enterprise aimed at establishing vehicle manufacturing in Uganda.
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