Vice President Jessica Alupo has challenged businesses in Uganda and across the East African region to uphold quality, integrity and consistency in their products and services, saying companies recognised for excellence should set higher standards for others in their industries.
Alupo made the call in a speech delivered on her behalf by Andrew Matovu, Director of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), during the East African Brand Quality Awards held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Friday night.
She congratulated the organisers and award recipients, urging the winners to regard their recognition not as an endpoint but as a responsibility to maintain high standards and mentor other businesses.
In her message, Alupo emphasised that consistency, integrity and quality are essential to building reputable businesses. She challenged the award winners to set higher benchmarks in their respective industries and inspire other companies to improve their products and services.
The ceremony brought together business leaders from the mining, manufacturing and services sectors. Discussions focused on regional trade, access to financing, support for indigenous enterprises and the need to improve the competitiveness of locally produced goods.
Ben Feni, Chief Executive Officer of Euro Gold Refinery, popularly known as Mungufeni, described the company's recognition at the awards as a significant milestone for Uganda's mining industry.
Feni said the award recognised the collective efforts of small-scale and large-scale miners across the country rather than the achievements of a single company.
He commended the government, particularly the ministry responsible for mineral development, for initiatives aimed at opening up the sector and creating opportunities for Ugandans to participate in mining.
However, he identified limited access to financing and lengthy licensing procedures as major challenges facing indigenous miners.
Feni said many Ugandan miners were compelled to seek foreign investors because local financial institutions often provided insufficient support for mining ventures.
He argued that greater involvement by Ugandan banks would enable local entrepreneurs to expand their operations while retaining a larger share of the benefits generated from the country's mineral resources.
“Uganda is naturally blessed and has all the minerals that are available, looking at gold and many others,” Feni said, calling on local banks to support indigenous mining enterprises.
He warned that inadequate domestic financing could leave Ugandan miners dependent on foreign investors, resulting in a substantial share of the benefits from mining going to external partners.
Feni, who received two awards, including one for his non-profit organisation, the Mungufeni Foundation, said increased local investment would help ensure that more wealth generated from Uganda's mineral resources remained in the country, supporting domestic enterprises and national development.
He also cited Euro Gold Refinery's indigenous ownership and consistent performance as factors distinguishing the company in Uganda's mining industry.
Oscar Kamukama, Director at the East African Business Council, called on regional governments and businesses to increase trade among East African countries instead of relying heavily on external markets.
Kamukama cited intra-European Union trade at approximately 65 per cent, contrasting it with trade among East African Community (EAC) member states, which he said remained below 15 per cent.
He urged business owners to trade more with one another, arguing that stronger regional commercial ties would enable businesses to access larger markets, increase exports and strengthen East Africa's position in continental and global trade.
Kamukama said East African countries needed to work together to maximise the opportunities presented by regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The East African Brand Quality Awards provide a platform for businesses to showcase their achievements and reflect on the role of quality in building consumer confidence, strengthening brand reputation and expanding market opportunities across the region.