NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 23 – President William Ruto and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni have committed to fostering cross-border collaboration in strategic sectors such as steel manufacturing, energy and infrastructure.
Ruto said this will boost efforts by both Kenya and Uganda to enhance regional self-sufficiency, promote intra-African trade, and strengthen the foundation for collective prosperity.
“This project will provide jobs for our young people, build new value chains for small and medium enterprises, and create opportunities that extend far beyond Uganda’s borders,” President Ruto explained.
In his adress when he joined President Museveni for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Devki Mega Steel Project in Tororo District, Uganda, Ruto pointed out that the Tororo facility will employ more than 400 workers, with plans to increase the workforce to 20,000 by 2027 across its East African operations.
Beyond direct job creation, the President Museveni said project will open vast opportunities for companies within the EAC, particularly in the transport, energy, construction, and services sectors, through cross-border supply contracts and strategic joint ventures.
President Ruto noted that the steel sector in Africa has become increasingly pivotal in fuelling economic progress throughout the continent.
“Africa’s steel market reached a volume of 39.5 million tonnes in 2024, and is expected to reach a projected 52 million tonnes by 2034, driven by bolstering infrastructure and advancing industrialisation,” he said.
The President said Kenya and Uganda are well-positioned to making considerable inroads in the regional and international steel market.
“The establishment of the Tororo Steel Industry sends a powerful message that our countries possess both the capacity and the courage to build globally competitive industries that drive Africa transformation,” the President noted.
President Museveni emphasised that the launch of the steel project will liberate Africa from exporting raw materials to Europe among other areas.
He expressed concern that the GDP for the United States was three times that of all African countries combined.
“It’s sad that the GDP of a country like the US is three times that of all the African countries combined yet we have rich resources that can uplift the economy of the continent if raw materials undergo value addition before being exported,” he said.
President Museveni pointed out that industrial projects only make sense when communities get priority in employment opportunities.
