By Mark Frasier
Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially commissioned the first phase of Yaobai Cement Uganda’s US$300 million integrated cement and clinker plant in Moroto, describing the investment as a significant milestone in Uganda’s drive towards industrialisation, value addition and import substitution.
The state-of-the-art facility is expected to substantially reduce Uganda’s dependence on imported clinker, strengthen domestic cement production and create thousands of jobs while positioning Karamoja as a growing industrial hub.
Speaking at the launch, Yaobai Cement Chairman Zang Jiewen said the company remains committed to building “a world-class, environmentally sustainable cement industry in Uganda.”
He noted that the investment, expected to produce up to 2 million tonnes of clinker and 3 million tonnes of cement annually, will save Uganda an estimated US$200 million in foreign exchange each year while supplying regional markets across East and Central Africa.