Soroti City: Soroti Industrial Park Idle Land Uganda Sparks Concerns

• Soroti City officials are concerned about the Soroti Industrial and Business Park, where most allocated land remains idle over a decade after its establishment in 2012.
• Only three out of 25 investor plots in the 219-acre park are operational, hindering the creation of an anticipated 25,000 jobs and city revenue.
• Soroti City Mayor Francis Esudu has raised the issue with the Ministry of Investment, noting that city authorities were excluded from plot allocation and lack information on ownership or investor plans.
• City officials are engaging park managers and investors, calling for government intervention to either attract new developers or compel existing plot holders to utilize the land.
• The park's underdevelopment contrasts with national figures from the Uganda Investment Authority, which reported 14 operational industrial parks hosting 463 companies nationwide in July.

The persistent lack of progress at the Soroti Industrial Park highlights a critical issue regarding Uganda industrial park land utilization.

Local authorities in Soroti City, Uganda, are expressing significant concern over the prolonged underdevelopment of the Soroti Industrial and Business Park. More than ten years have passed since land within the park was initially allocated to various investors, yet a substantial portion remains unutilized. Established in 2012, the park was created after the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) acquired 219 acres of land specifically for industrial development within Soroti City.

Despite its establishment over a decade ago, only three of the 25 plots designated for investors currently host operational developments. The vast majority of the remaining plots lie undeveloped, with some areas visibly overgrown with vegetation. This widespread idleness directly undermines the park's foundational objectives, which included generating revenue for Soroti City and creating an estimated 25,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities for young people within the Teso region and beyond.

The persistent lack of progress at the Soroti Industrial Park highlights a critical issue regarding Uganda industrial park land utilization. The initial vision for the park was to serve as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation, but its current state of disuse prevents these benefits from materializing. The extensive period of inactivity on these Soroti City undeveloped industrial land plots has prompted city officials to seek intervention from higher government levels.

Soroti City Mayor Francis Esudu has publicly voiced his apprehension regarding the idle land, confirming that the city has formally communicated its concerns to the Ministry of Investment. However, Mayor Esudu noted that no concrete action has yet been taken to address the situation. A key challenge, according to Esudu, stems from the fact that city council authorities were not involved in the initial allocation of plots. This exclusion makes it difficult for them to ascertain the ownership of specific plots or understand the development plans, if any, held by the respective investors.

Mayor Esudu emphasized that the failure to fully utilize the Soroti Industrial Park idle land Uganda is directly impeding the city's ability to provide employment for its expanding population, particularly its youth who migrate to Soroti in search of work. He has urged the central government to intervene decisively, either by attracting new investors committed to developing the park or by compelling existing plot holders to fulfill their development obligations. These Francis Esudu Soroti land concerns underscore the urgent need for greater Soroti Industrial Park investor accountability.

Echoing these sentiments, Soroti City Town Clerk Paul Batanda also expressed dismay over the park's failure to develop as anticipated. Batanda confirmed that city leaders are actively engaging with both the industrial park managers and the investors who were allocated plots to understand their intentions and activities. He further pointed out that some current activities observed within the park do not align with its intended industrial purpose, adding another layer of concern for local governance.

The issues plaguing the Soroti Industrial Park emerge amidst broader governmental initiatives aimed at promoting industrial parks across Uganda as vital hubs for investment, employment, and economic expansion. In a report from July, Robert Mukisa, the Director General of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), highlighted that 14 of the country's planned industrial and business parks are now fully operational, collectively hosting 463 companies. This national success story stands in stark contrast to the situation in Soroti, where a significant portion of the land remains fallow.

Industrial parks are fundamentally designed to offer organized environments for manufacturing and other business operations, thereby fostering investment, creating jobs, and stimulating local economic development. However, the limited progress in Soroti means that these intended benefits are not being realized locally. The continued idleness of a substantial part of the Soroti Industrial Park, more than a decade after its establishment, represents a significant missed opportunity for regional growth and employment. The discrepancy between the national vision for industrialization and the local reality in Soroti underscores the challenges in ensuring consistent Uganda industrial park land utilization across all designated sites.

Lawyers advising investors in Ugandan industrial parks, particularly those with undeveloped plots, should review their land lease agreements for development clauses and potential forfeiture risks. This signals increased scrutiny from local authorities and potential government intervention regarding underutilized industrial land.

Source: Original reporting via Independent (Kampala)