On May 21, 2022, Economic Policy Research Centre staff led by Director of Research Dr Ibrahim Kasirye were helped to a factory tour of Kakira Sugar courtesy of Mr. Nitini Madhvani, the Director and Chairman of Madhvani Group. EPRC team was hosted together with Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor Dr. Micheal Atingi-Ego
Kakira Sugar Factory is the biggest manufacturer of sugar in the country and directly employs 9,000 people on its estate, works with 12,000 independent cane farmers and support a quarter of a million people indirectly in eastern Uganda, according to Mr. Nitini.
Here are some images from the tour:
L-R: BOU Deputy Governor Dr Michael Atingi-Ego (in black T-shirt), EPRC Director of Research Dr Ibrahim Kasirye (white shirt), Dr Madina Guloba, EPRC Senior Research Fellow and Elizabeth Birabwa, EPRC Programmes Manager look at the first Sugar mill installed in 1930s when the factory started. Pointing is Madhvani Group Chiarman Nitini Madhvani.
The machine crashing area of the factory.
BOU DG Michael Atingi-Ego inquires from factory staff on the heavy rolling machines at the crashing area.
EPRC PM Elizabeth Birabwa (R) indulges in a chat with Mr. Nitini Madhvani, the Group Chairman, on the status of the sugar sub-sector in the country.
Mr. Nitini explaining to the team process of sugar manufacturing from plantation to refined sugar.
Inside the gigantic sugar factory
The packaging area of the finished product ready for the market.
Kakira Sugar store with some of the packaged sugar sacks awaiting transportation to the market
Beyond manufacturing sugar, the factory also ventures into making some alcoholic as part of the efforts to maximumly use all bi-products in the sugar manufacturing process.
The factory generates electricity. The team on tour pose for a photo at the control area for power generation
Inside the power generation control area