The Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema, has assured Eritrean investors of Uganda’s commitment to protect and support their businesses.
Col. Nakalema gave the assurance during a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at SHIPU offices in Kampala. The meeting, also attended by senior officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), was aimed at addressing regulatory concerns raised by Eritrean investors, particularly regarding building approvals and project delays.
KCCA was represented by Mr. Vincent Byendaimira, Director of Physical Planning, and Mr. Bernard Tukwasibwe, a physical planner at the Authority.
The Eritrean delegation was led by Mr. Samuel Tsegoi, Managing Director of Concord Apartments, who highlighted major challenges faced by the investors, with building approvals topping the list.
“The biggest challenge we have is approval. They keep saying it is delayed from KCCA. Being a government office, we have to wait, but this causes delays in the project,” Mr. Tsegoi said, noting that some of these delays stretch up to two years.
In response, Mr. Byendaimira explained that KCCA operates a two-tiered process starting with development permission before one can apply for a building permit.
He clarified that since joining KCCA last year, the Authority has significantly reduced the permit processing time to less than four weeks, thanks to the adoption of a new electronic system, the Integrated Revenue Administration System (IRAS), which streamlines applications and cuts bureaucracy.
“We recommend that investors embrace this digital platform developed by our ICT team for faster service delivery,” he said.
Col. Nakalema also called for full integration of all investor-support systems with the IRAS portal, to improve efficiency and transparency.
Mr. Byendaimira further advised investors to assert their rights if they encounter undue delays, explaining that sometimes such delays are caused by officials being on leave or absent.
He, however, warned investors against making upfront payments to service providers before full approvals are secured, noting that premature payments often result in laxity in following up on applications.
On concerns over building height restrictions, particularly in Kololo, Mr. Byendaimira urged investors to conduct thorough due diligence before purchasing plots in sensitive areas.
“Kololo has many foreign missions and embassies. Due to security and privacy concerns, buildings near the summit cannot go as high as those in lower areas,” he explained.
He also pointed out that without gazetted regulations, KCCA risks legal action if it approves structures that violate unwritten height restrictions in diplomatic zones.
Additionally, Mr. Byendaimira pledged to assess concerns regarding a drainage problem at the Orthodox church in Makindye, where Eritrean investors and their community congregate. He said a bridge may be necessary to ease tensions with the local community and promised to inspect the site within the week.
He also warned investors about fraudsters posing as KCCA officials and advised them to report such cases directly to his office for swift action.
Col. Nakalema commended the Eritrean investors for their cooperation, emphasizing that their engagement has accelerated development.
However, she cautioned that during election seasons, some political actors may deliberately frustrate government efforts by spreading misinformation or politicizing regulatory issues to derail progress.
“This is the time to remain focused and collaborate closely with government institutions to overcome such distractions,” she said.
