Uganda Government: Dei BioPharma Land Resettlement for Matugga Expansion

• The Ugandan government announced plans to resettle families around the Dei BioPharma Ltd campus in Matugga, Wakiso District, to facilitate its expansion.
• Minister Aminah Mukalazi conveyed President Museveni's directive, which also includes halting new construction in the area, already gazetted as an industrial park.
• Relocation is crucial for Dei BioPharma to meet international certification standards from bodies like the US FDA and European Medicines Agency, which require no human settlement nearby.
• Government valuers will assess compensation claims for both mailo landowners and bibanja holders, with a directive to stop further land transfers.
• Dei BioPharma, founded by Dr Matthias Magoola, is developing a large manufacturing facility and has filed over 100 patents for various medical treatments.

The government, holding a significant stake in Dei BioPharma Ltd, asserts its responsibility to safeguard public health, noting that the nature of pharmaceutical manufacturing precludes human settlement in the immediate vicinity.

The Ugandan government has announced plans to resettle families residing around the Dei BioPharma Ltd medicines and vaccines campus in Matugga, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District. This directive, issued by President Museveni, was conveyed by Aminah Mukalazi, the Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, on Friday, September 18. The primary objective of this Uganda Dei BioPharma land resettlement initiative is to facilitate the expansion of the drug manufacturing plant located in Kigoogwa, Matugga.

Minister Mukalazi met with affected families at the Dei BioPharma campus, following a private discussion with the pharmaceutical company's management, led by its proprietor, Dr Matthias Magoola. The gathering also included the Deputy Resident District Commissioner Charles Lwanga, local security officials, and community leaders, such as Gombe Division Mayor Hajjat Mbabazi. President Museveni's directives also include an immediate halt to any further construction within a specified radius of the facility, impacting the Matugga industrial park relocation efforts.

The decision to relocate residents stems from critical regulatory and operational requirements for the pharmaceutical facility. President Museveni has instructed relevant government agencies to commence the relocation process, emphasizing that the area has already been officially designated as an industrial park. Addressing residents from the affected villages of Kigoogwa A, Kigoogwa B, Kiryammuli, Wabitembe, and Kiryowa, Minister Aminah Mukalazi urged their cooperation with the project.

The government, holding a significant stake in Dei BioPharma Ltd, asserts its responsibility to safeguard public health, noting that the nature of pharmaceutical manufacturing precludes human settlement in the immediate vicinity. Dr Magoola further explained that the company's ability to secure international certification, particularly from bodies like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), would be jeopardized if residents remain. He highlighted legal stipulations requiring such manufacturing entities to be surrounded by security and natural barriers, not residential homes, to ensure compliance for future contract manufacturing with global pharmaceutical firms.

As part of the Dei BioPharma land compensation Uganda process, government valuers are tasked with assessing claims from both mailo landowners and bibanja holders. Minister Mukalazi explicitly warned residents against engaging with middlemen, ensuring a direct and transparent compensation process. Furthermore, technical officers have received instructions to cease all further land transfers within the designated affected area.

Mukalazi affirmed the government's commitment to a peaceful resolution, stating that they would collaborate with Dei BioPharma and other ministries to ensure all genuine owners receive due payment. This approach underscores the government's strategy for Uganda compulsory land acquisition to advance strategic industrial development projects.

Dei BioPharma currently occupies 250 acres, where it is developing a substantial manufacturing facility designed to house approximately 30 distinct factories. The company is actively seeking additional land to accommodate its expansion needs and to fully meet the stringent requirements for international certification, which could be compromised by human activity in close proximity to the plant. Founded in 2014 by scientist and innovator Dr Magoola, Dei BioPharma has already made significant strides in pharmaceutical research.

The company has filed over 100 patent applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), covering a wide array of treatments and technologies for diseases such as cancer, HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. More than 70 of these applications have been published by the USPTO, including work on foot-and-mouth disease, guided-RNA cancer therapy, mRNA platforms, and biosimilars. The government's proactive role in facilitating the Matugga industrial park relocation and expansion reflects the national importance placed on this innovative enterprise.

Lawyers representing landowners in the Matugga/Wakiso district should advise clients on their rights regarding government compensation for land acquisition, particularly for industrial park development. This case also highlights the Ugandan government's commitment to facilitating strategic industrial projects through compulsory acquisition and resettlement, impacting future land development and investment strategies.

Source: Original reporting via {source}