UGANDA Manufactures Association to increase the production and consumption of local fabrics and growth of textile industry has urged all government departments and ministries to buy products manufactured in Uganda especially textiles.

According to the executive director UMA, Ssebagala Kigozi, the only way to grow the local capacity in the industrial sector is government departments like the Army, Prisons, and Police should buy these textile products from the local textile industries because they are of quality compared to those that are imported into the country.

The most produced textile products include school uniforms, socks and t-shirts should be given priority whenever government is procuring them for different departments.

The call was made by the executive director UMA, Ssebagala Kigozi during his visit to textile industries in Jinja who include Sigma and Sunbelt textiles limited in preparation for the forthcoming 22nd International Trade Fair organized by UMA, under the theme "Building Business Partnerships for Sustainable Markets and Competitiveness. The show started on the 2nd of October 2014 and will run until the 10th of October.

Sigma Knitting Industries manufacture uniforms and socks while Chinese Sunbelt Textiles Limited is into manufacturing and designing bed sheets and curtains.

He also promised to engage the leaders of the UPDF, Prisons and Police so they can appreciate what is manufactured locally and if possible encourage them to visit the premises so they can consider them in future procurement processes.

“Why import when local industries are producing better quality? This can only happen when the locals cannot produce what the market wants. Ssebagala plans to set up an appointment with the IGP, Gen. JeJe Odongo from ministry of Defence and Johnson Byabashaija of Prisons so they can help their manufacturers.

Ssebagala’s appeal followed complaints from the managing director of Sigma Knitting, Anant Parmar that government departments continue to import products like socks at a cheaper cost into the country ignoring those made here.

Sigma knitting, since 2009 have managed to only run the factory to full capacity for only one year because there is no demand.

Uganda needs to borrow the example from Egypt where investors’ products are promoted by government as their own and even encourage the nationals to consume those that are made in Egypt.