The Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema, has assured Eritrean investors that President Yoweri Museveni is committed to supporting their investments in Uganda.
During a meeting held at SHIPU offices in Kampala, Col. Nakalema told a delegation of Eritrean investors led by Samuel Tsegoi, the Managing Director of Concord Apartments, that the President “is always directing to ensure that we are supporting the investors and that their investments are well protected.”
The meeting was attended by officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), including Vincent Byendaimira, the director of Physical Planning, and Bernard Tukwasibwe, a physical planner.
The Eritrean investors raised concerns about delays in approving building plans, with Tsegoi noting that the biggest challenge they face is approval, which can take up to two years.
Byendaimira explained that the approval process is two-tiered, starting with the development process, followed by a building permit application.
He said KCCA has managed to reduce the permit processing period to less than four weeks and recommended that investors utilize the newly introduced electronic system, Integrated Revenue Administration System (IRAS), to catalyze the processes and reduce bureaucracy.
The KCCA officials explained the benefits of using IRAS, which was developed to streamline processes and reduce bureaucracy.
Col. Nakalema also weighed in, saying all systems that support investors should be interconnected to the portal.
Byendaimira advised the investors to assert their rights if things are not moving according to their desired speed.
He cautioned them against paying service providers until the building plans are fully approved, noting that service providers usually lose morale after being paid upfront.
Byendaimira also addressed concerns about height limits for high-rise buildings under construction, advising the investors to first check before buying plots.
He noted that plots in Kololo, an affluent neighborhood with many foreign missions, may have restrictions on building height due to privacy and security reasons.
The KCCA director also addressed the issue of an Orthodox church in Makindye, where the Eritreans congregate, and pledged to assess the situation regarding drainage and road construction.
He cautioned the investors against fraudsters posing as KCCA officials and guided them to report any such cases to him directly.
Col. Nakalema commended the investors for their collaboration, which has catalyzed development.
She noted that during election seasons, there are negative elements who intentionally frustrate the government’s efforts by politicking to derail national development.
The meeting was a follow-up to a previous engagement held on June 18, 2025, where Col. Nakalema assured the investors of Uganda’s commitment to ensuring their businesses thrive.
