Uganda’s national livestock research centre, the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), located in Tororo, has apparently been displaced by Chinese investors building a fertiliser manufacturing plant in the same area.
According to official reports, President Museveni ordered the institute to give away 600 of its 1,864 acres to Chinese firm Guangzhou Dongsong Group, raising questions as to whether the Chinese need all that land for their business.
As a result, the institute is to relocate some of its activities to Maruzi ranch in Apac district. However, it is not clear whether funding for the relocation has been secured; the move could take years to implement, leaving important research in jeopardy.
This facility was built in 1956. That the colonial government saw a need for it as far back as that time shows how farsighted they were. That we are treating it this way shows how short-sighted we are.
Sadly, many new projects in Uganda seem to come at the expense of existing institutions. Perhaps the best examples of this are two hotel projects (Aya Group and Kingdom Holdings), which displaced the ministry of Information and Shimoni Demonstration primary school and teacher training college respectively, but are yet to host any guests 10 years later!
In Masaka, part of the golf course land has been given away to Bank of Uganda to build a currency centre in the town. The decision has caused heated debate amongst supporters and critics of the move.
With better planning, Tororo should be big enough for both the fertiliser plant and the national livestock research institute. Instead of relocating it, we should be seeking to build another one in Apac to advance the cause of research.
Similarly, a town like Masaka with ambitions of becoming a city needs a recreation facility of the stature of a golf course as much as it needs a currency centre. One doesn’t have to displace the other.
Nevertheless, while it is relatively easy to find space for a currency centre, it’s very difficult to find fresh land for a golf course once the existing space has been encroached on.
We need a holistic rather than ad hoc approach to development.