President Museveni has commissioned Sunbelt Textiles Company Limited, a new enterprise that is based in Walukuba, Masese Division, in Jinja district.
Speaking during the ceremony on Monday, President Museveni emphasized that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has always told Ugandans that there are four sectors that create employment and wealth namely agriculture, factories, services and Information Communication Technology (ICT).
“By using 13 acres of land, this factory has created enough jobs but if they had planted crops they would make a lot of money but employ less people,” he said.
He revealed that the Movement government is going to ensure the creation of more industrial parks.
“If more factories are built with the capacity to employ over a thousand people, they will create more employment opportunities and more jobs would remain,” he said.
President Museveni called upon the employees to be trustworthy in order to encourage other Chinese investors to come and do business in Uganda.
“China is an important country. It has been supporting us ever since we were fighting colonialism up to date. Investing in each other’s country is important for the prosperity of our people,” he said.
Mr Sun Lian Zhong, Chairman of Sunbelt Companies, thanked President Museveni for his commitment to supporting foreign investors in Uganda.
“Sunbelt is willing to do its best under your leadership to contribute to Uganda’s economy and create employment opportunities for Ugandans,” he said.
Sunbelt has so far invested US$18 million and employs 1,200 people.
It produces blankets, quilts, pillowcases and bed sheets, among others.
14 percent of the company’s products are sold locally while the rest is exported to Uganda’s neighbors and the region such as Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Mr Zhong said that the company would invest another US$ 32 million for expansion and hoped to create an additional 300 jobs in the near future.
He also revealed that they have partnered with Wairaka Technical College to equip the company’s employees with the technical skills needed to produce materials for the international market.
The Minister of State for Cooperatives, Hon. Gume Frederick Ngobi, the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Zheng Zhu Qiana and Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) Executive Director, Ms. Jolly Kamugira Kaguhangire, among others, attended the function