The Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) says it’s on course to start printing banknotes once a printing factory being built in Entebbe is complete.
Joachim Buwembo, the UPPC Board Chairman, made the revelation on Friday, July 12, 2024, during the inaugural Stakeholder Engagement Day at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
He said the venture being carried out in collaboration with a German consortium Veridos Gmbh and Giesecke & Devrient will see the country print its currency.
“Someone asked why we are not printing the money, the currency of Uganda. We are getting there and our subsidiary is USPC (Uganda Security Printing Company),” he stated.
Martin Ssekagya, who represented the USPC Managing Director, said the factory is being constructed to print all security documents including currency, passports, national identity cards and cheques.
“We shall be rolling out the products in phases,” he said.
According to Buwembo, Uganda will print its own currency and even that of other regional states that express interest in having their national documents printed here.
“The national identity card, the passport, the money…there is no country I know of that prints its passports or money in Uganda. If countries like Rwanda, Somalia and South Sudan cannot bring their documents to be printed in Uganda, why shouldn’t Uganda at least print its documents?” he wondered.
In a speech read for her by Robert Kasule Ssebunya, the Head Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Delivery Unit, Prime Minister Rt Hon Robinah Nabbanja said the partnership with the German Consortium of Veridos and the collaboration with the Uganda Security Printing Company (USPC) to print secure documents such as passports, driving permits, and land titles mark a new era for UPPC.
She said these initiatives enhance UPPC’s capabilities and broaden its service offerings, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of security and quality.
“Over the past years, it has been estimated that Uganda has spent approximately USD 10 million annually on outsourcing printing works abroad. This expenditure not only drains our foreign exchange reserves but also has a ripple effect on the growth prospects for our economy,” said Nabbanja.
She added: “By keeping these printing jobs within the country, we can redirect these funds to support local businesses, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth. The impact of such a shift cannot be overstated as it supports our national agenda of self-reliance and economic resilience.”
In his own words, Ssebunya suggested that when the Prime Minister returns from her travel to New York, she could start by visiting the facility in Entebbe to check on its progress.
Hajji. Sadat Kisuyi, who represented the Minister for Presidency Milly Babalanda, said the plan is to print documents for the East African region as a whole.
“So, when we begin, the market will not only be here, but it will be for the entire region. So the issue of passports, permits, national identity cards, money and other important documents for Uganda and the region will be printed here, bringing in the scarce foreign exchange,” remarked Kisuyi.
