Find a way to co-exist with foreign business people - Ocici

Mr Ocici speaks to some of the guests during the training in Hoima District. COURTESY PHOTO 

In Summary

• A number of people have raised concern, especially in regard to foreigners who engage in petty trade yet they come to Uganda as investors.
• This comes on the back of the rising number of foreigners, especially from China and India that continue to engage in retail trade.
• Ugandans, Mr Ocici said, ought to continue nurturing a receptive spirit to foreigners instead of locking them out of some sectors of the economy such as retail trade.

By Dorothy Nakaweesi

Ugandans must exercise tolerance with foreign business owners or risk affecting the country’s investor confidence.
Speaking on the sidelines of a five-day enterprise development training in Hoima District, Mr Charles Ocici, the Enterprise Uganda executive director, said Ugandans must find a way to co-exist with foreign business people not to injure investor confidence, a key aspect of attracting investors.

Uganda, he said, has over the years enjoyed good trade relations but there have been attempts on investors, which might end up denying the country foreign direct investment.

“We need to embrace a free legal movement of labour from and into Uganda and look at foreign traders as partners in this game rather than people coming to take up jobs that should have been for Ugandans; Ugandans just need skills on how to have a competitive edge” he said.

A number of people have raised concern, especially in regard to foreigners who engage in petty trade yet they come to Uganda as investors.

This comes on the back of the rising number of foreigners, especially from China and India that continue to engage in retail trade.

Ugandans, Mr Ocici said, ought to continue nurturing a receptive spirit to foreigners instead of locking them out of some sectors of the economy such as retail trade.

The training, which was hosted by Dr Lawrence Bategeka, the Hoima Municipality MP, sought to train participants different ways through which they can build sustainable businesses as well as refocus energies on creating jobs instead of searching for them.

Uganda currently has a youth unemployment rate of more than 80 per cent, which many experts have said is a threat to national security.

This has in return created animosity among some Ugandans, who accuse foreigners of suffocating them in the job market.
However, Mr Ocici said treating foreign traders with contempt was not the solution, urging Ugandans to work together to create a strong job market.

Borrow a leaf
According to Mr Ocici, Ugandans must borrow a leaf from foreign business people in terms of their management style.
Many, foreigners, especially from Asia, have built business that have grown into big brands overtime.
“A typical business person start with simple kiosks and grow them into large scale enterprises. This has been the case with some foreign-owned businesses,” he said.