Transporters

The transport sector in Uganda is a fast-growing industry for both Primary and Overland transport, given the stability in the country, increased investment opportunities and improved infrastructure.

• There are over a hundred local transport operators who transport goods within Uganda and across borders to the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya.
• Trucks available in Uganda currently are sufficient to meet the local demands including for humanitarian organizations in case of any influx.
• The national market includes transportation of local agricultural produce from the farmers to the market and transportation of merchandise, construction materials and machinery from the town centers to the retailers within the city and upcountry locations.
• Cross border trade also includes transportation of agricultural products, stationery, construction materials, machinery, and other merchandise to the neighboring countries.
• Registration of new vehicles is conducted by the Uganda Revenue Authority for private vehicles while the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) registers Government owned vehicles³⁰
• Trucking associations have still a limited capacity to articulate issues or influence industry or policy making in large, however there is the
  • Regional Lorry Drivers and Transporters Associations (RLDTA) with over 450 individual members (truck owners and crew) and approximately 20 trucking companies.
  • Also the Uganda National Transporters Alliance (UNTA).
• The Uganda Shippers Council (USC) has worked as an umbrella organization for many shipping organizations that provides its members with a platform for networking, lobbying, advocacy, and capacity building: Uganda Shippers Council – Reduction in cargo transit time and costs for shippers. - TradeMark East Africa

Table 3.2.1. Uganda: Transporters.

³⁰Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2020., Statistical Abstract

Manual Labor

The labor market in Uganda is governed by the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and does not approve of slavery, forced labor, and emphasizes the right to freedom of association including the freedom to join trade unions, political and civic organizations. It disallows economic exploitation of children.

• Although Uganda already has legislation in place to establish a minimum wage, the 1957 Minimum Wage Advisory Board Act, which would allow trade unions and other stakeholders to participate in setting the wage, this was never fully implemented.
• Uganda last set the monthly minimum wages in 1984, at 6,000 Ugandan Shillings (approximately equivalent to 2.07 USD).
• Currently, due to the high level of unemployment, workers negotiate with their intended employers and agree on payment terms each time there is an activity.
• The proposal for a minimum wage bill has been drafted for presentation to the parliament of Uganda by the labor union for all labor categories and approval was expected by end of April 2015. However, the bill was once again tabled: Work and Wages, Payment of Bonus, Hours/Wages in Uganda - WageIndicator.org
• Currently employers negotiate with the laborer’s on what should be paid for a specific task, and this varies from organization to another. Once this is agreed, the interval of the payment is discussed and agreed: Labour Market & Earnings - Uganda Bureau of Statistics (ubos.org)

Source: LATEST LIST: New salary structure for all Ugandan civil servants starting July 2021 - Watchdog Uganda

Telecommunications

The Uganda Communications Act, 1997, was passed under the general macro policy of liberalization and privatization, which has been pursued by the Government of Uganda in order to promote investment.

• The Government of Uganda through Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which is the regulatory body of the communications sector in Uganda: UCC: Uganda Communications Commission – Communications for all
• All telecommunication companies are licensed and regulated by the government through the Uganda Communications Commission.
• At present there are a number of telecommunication service providers in Uganda providing land line, mobile telephone & Internet Data services; (the leading privately owned service providers are MTN Uganda Ltd and Airtel Uganda Ltd. and Uganda Telecom Ltd, owned by the government of Uganda).
• There is no restriction in the registration of SIM cards as long as one is able to present their National Identity card or passport: Ministry of ICT & National Guidance – Uganda

Table 3.4.1. Uganda: Telephone services.

Telecommunication Regulations:

Importation and licensing of communication equipment is regulated by the Uganda Communications Commission.

• Companies apply detailing the model and make of equipment that they intend to import and the number of frequencies requested.
• Frequencies are allocated and paid for per frequency and per gadget.
• So long as one operates within the given guidelines, there is no restriction on the usage of the communication equipment after licensing.

Table 3.4.2. Uganda: Regulations.

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems

At present, the humanitarian telecoms include VHF, HF and VSAT communications.  

• VHF and HF communications are managed by UNDSS.
• Each humanitarian agency procures its own equipment, gets it installed and during usage, reports to UNDSS on certain channels.
• The equipment is located at the different offices, and some is installed within the vehicles, in addition to the portable equipment held by staff.

Table 3.4.3. Uganda: Existing UN Telecommunication System.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

Internet is available in almost all parts of the country.

• The services are provided through private companies that have been licensed to provide these services.
• The optic fiber option tends to be more reliable that the wireless links.

Table 3.4.4. Uganda: Internet Service Providers.

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs):

The mobile network in Uganda covers more than 75% of the country and in most of these areas, and is generally reliable; the main service providers are MTN Uganda ltd and Airtel Uganda Ltd.: GSM Association website.

• The use of mobile money is widespread and is available wherever there is a mobile network, where the key restriction has been withdrawing of sums above UGX 5,000,000 (equivalent to USD 1316).
• Companies offering mobile money services have unlimited number of agents everywhere. These basically offer sending and receiving services.
• There are as well bank agents using agency banking although these are mostly found in urban centers.

Table 3.4.4. Uganda: Mobile Network Operators.

Food Suppliers

The Ugandan agricultural market is very competitive and vibrant comprising of both large and small scale agricultural and processing firms (business entities): Uganda (UGA) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners

| OEC - The Observatory of Economic Complexity

• Typical food crops consist of plantains, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, sorghum, maize, beans, groundnuts, and sesame, also livestock and export crops (coffee, cotton, tea, and tobacco).
  • Some high value crops (e.g., cut flowers and certain vegetables and fresh fruits, are also being exported.
• The agricultural products are regulated by the weather and produce comes from all the regions of the country, except Karamoja.
  • Sometimes, the overall supply does not meet demands pending climatic conditions causing shortages both at the household level and at the market levels.
• Bulk products are readily available in Uganda from a number of both local and international suppliers.
  • There is high competition in the supply market between the large-scale suppliers who have warehouses, machines, and the capital to finance their activities and the small-scale entities that lack machines and have to acquire loans to run their business.
  • The major Ugandan food processing companies include; Sunrise Commodities & Millers, Buyinzika, Unga Millers, Britainia Allied Industries, Mukwano Industries, Kakira Sugar works and Reco Industries.
  • The government, through UNBS requires all food processors and their products to be ISO certified to meet international standards: Uganda National Bureau Of Standards (unbs.go.ug)
  • Other private bodies who are allowed to inspect and certify products are SGS, Chemiphar, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, among others: SGS in Uganda | When You Need To Be Sure

Additional Services

Accommodation

Uganda has a growing hotel industry with several hotels located in strategic points to choose from for accommodation with online booking available in many cases.

• Hotels offer options for self-catering and most of the hotels have access to fresh foods from the farm.
• The real estate industry is also attractive with several upscale apartments dotted around town with good security arrangements.

Electricity:

Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) was incorporated in March 2001 to provide un-bundling the Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) and establishment of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA)

The Electricity Regulatory Authority (est. 2000), to regulate the Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Sale, Export and Import of Electrical Energy in Uganda. ERA is also mandated to establish a tariff structure, approve rates of charges: https://www.era.go.ug/#

Building and construction:

Uganda National Association of Building and Civil Engineering (UNABCEC) is a non-profit, member- driven, national trade association representing contractors, and other companies and organizations engaged in construction in Uganda. The association is dedicated to fostering growth and sustainability: UNABCEC

Postal Services:

Posta Uganda is the most extensive provider of postal services in Uganda, having a network of postal delivery outlets down to sub-county level. Mail is delivered to over 70,000 post boxes and through 300 post offices all over the country, including letters and parcels, express courier service, local and international money transfers, internet services etc.: Posta Uganda – We Deliver Trust (ugapost.co.ug)

Financial Services:

The financial sector covers many different types of transactions in areas of real estate, consumer finance, banking, and insurance. It also covers a broad spectrum of investment funding, including securities. The four most common types of financial institutions are commercial banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and investment banks.

For more information, please see following links:

• The Uganda Institute of Banking and Financials Services
• (uibfs.or.ug) Bank of Uganda| Home (bou.or.ug)
• Home - Uganda Investment
• Authority Uganda Insurers Association (UIA)

Waste Management and Recycling Infrastructure Assessment

In Uganda, the rapid population growth in the urban areas has greatly outpaced the ability of the urban authorities to provide adequate housing, roads, water supplies, sewers, and collection of solid waste.

• Although the environmental problems associated with garbage do not disappear with collection, uncollected garbage exacerbates many of the environmental hazards associated with urban centers; such hazards include fire, pests and disease vectors which create human health problems.
• Uncontrolled disposal by burning and dumping adds to atmospheric and hydrologic pollution loads, clogs waterways and increases the danger of flooding, which has been experienced in some parts of the country.
• Solid waste management in Kampala city is done by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) assisted by some private garbage collectors and in other towns; it’s the responsibility of the town council: Waste Management - KAMPALA CAPITAL CITY AUTHORITY | For a better City (kcca.go.ug)

Generally, few materials are recycled for use.

• Plans are underway by the government to establish a waste recycling plant that will produce fertilizers, generate power and a host of other materials, including job creation for those involved.
• Current challenges encountered by KCCA are issues of open dumping, lack of adequate transport receptacles and vehicles, lack of spare parts, corrosion of the waste containers.

Non-Hazardous Waste Disposal:

Solid waste generated in the city is largely composed of vegetable matter from discarded foods.

• Household waste consisting of wet organic materials and only about 10% of the households in the city are served by KCCA, assisted by other private garbage collection firms, while the remaining waste is disposed of by the generating households.
• Waste from markets is mainly raw vegetable matter, food refuse, and some scrap metal and other inorganic materials.
• Street waste is generated from street sweeping and consist of sand, litter, and drain cleanings, animal faeces and actual dead animals.
• Construction and demolition wastes include lumber, pipes, bricks, masonry, and other construction materials from cleared building sites.
• Abandoned vehicles, as well as special waste generated from hospitals, slaughterhouses and cesspool waste are problems of special importance.

Hazardous Waste Disposal:

Hazardous waste is described as waste that causes un-acceptable risk to public health and the environment: National Environment Management Authority (nema.go.ug).

• The quantity of hazardous waste reported in here is that collected by the various NEMA licensed hazardous waste agents.
• The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) collects information on solid waste collected (tons) from KCCA and other selected Municipalities across the country. ​​​​​​​
• The E-waste generated depends on the quantities placed on the market and various life spans for the various categories.