By Staff Writer :
The Honorary Consul of Namibia to Uganda, Ambassador Godfrey Kirumira, has urged that country’s local investors to expand their investments to Namibia after the creation of an enabling economic environment.
Ambassador Kirumira made the remarks while meeting the local business community during a thanksgiving ceremony for his new appointment as an honorary consul of Namibia in Kampala last Friday.
He said he talked to both the government and business officials in Namibia and they expressed willingness to have Ugandans invest in their economy.
“I pledge to work closely with both Uganda and Namibia enterprises and government agencies to promote trade and investment and to identify areas of mutual interests and benefit,” Ambassador Kirumira said.
He added: “I believe there are several sectors where Namibia and Uganda can collaborate and achieve our shared economic goals including agriculture, tourism, mining and renewable energy.”
Trade between Uganda and Namibia is growing albeit slowly with the former exporting pharmaceutical products, coffee and grains. Namibia exports less to Uganda.
Ambassador Kirumira is one of the Ugandan businesspeople who have been allocated land in Namibia to establish investments.
He said Ugandan companies dealing in pharmaceutical products and tourism will be able to make big gains if they invest in Namibia because the demand for the products and services is immense there.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mr Norbert Mao, said Ambassador Kirumira should use his position to help Uganda learn how to manage its mineral sector from Namibia.
“If there is one thing you can do for us, is to learn from Namibia how they have sorted out their mineral sector…. I read that Namibia is one African country that has managed to sort out its mineral sector. Now in Uganda, we have graphite. We have the biggest deposits in Kitgum and Olom,” Mr Mao said.
Graphite is used in the manufacture of batteries for electric cars.
Mr Mao said with huge deposits of graphite, Uganda should attract investors such as Elon Musk to visit and invest in that sector.
“Instead of some of the conmen we see parading in State House, we need to see people like Elon Musk visit State House to talk about our huge deposit of graphite,” Mr Mao said.
The Namibian Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Lebbius Tobias, who also handles Uganda, said Uganda and Namibia should give close attention to trade and investment between the two countries.
“Now that I am talking to most of the business people, what I want to tell you, please we have the right man in the office. I appealing to you to please go and invest in Namibia. Namibia has the best road networks,” he said.
“We are number one in Africa and globally we are 23. In business terms, you can move from this region to another region without hesitation,” he added.
Mr Tobias said Ambassador Kirumira was the right person for the post.

Left to right: Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Norbert Mao, Honorary Consul of Uganda to Namibia Prince Joseph Ndawula and Honorary Consul of Namibia to Uganda Ambassador Godfrey Kirumira during the thanksgiving ceremony in Kampala last Friday. Photo | Frank Baguma