Mbarara, Uganda – The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives officially
launched the first-ever Regional Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) Trade Show,
held at Independence Grounds in Mbarara City.

The trade show brought together local producers and manufacturers from Western
region including Ankole, Kigezi, Tooro, Bunyoro and the neighbouring areas who
showcased their innovations and products produced locally. Other exhibitors
included government agencies that facilitate production and trade, and other private
sector players.

The event was officiated by the State Minister for Trade, Hon. Gen. Wilson Mbasu
Mbadi, who urged local producers to prioritize product quality and certification as a
key step towards expanding their market reach both domestically and internationally.
Hon. Mbadi noted that government has this current financial year doubled the budget
of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) with the aim of expanding their
capacity to support local manufacturers to certify their products.

He also emphasized the importance of decentralizing trade development efforts and
recognizing the contributions of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
across Uganda’s regions. “This platform is a celebration of our local producers, and it
reflects our commitment to building a self-sustaining economy,” he stated.

During the event, Hon. Mbadi unveiled the BUBU Business Directory and Magazine
2025. The newly launched BUBU Directory and Magazine is expected to serve as a
central reference for both public and private institutions seeking locally produced
goods and services—supporting Uganda’s goals of import substitution and export
growth.

The Commissioner for Internal Trade, Mr. Zackey Kalega, noted that the regional
trade show serves as a forum for supporting informal traders by bringing them closer
to regulatory bodies such as the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and
the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Uganda Revenue Authority
(URA), Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) among others.

“Many local producers face barriers like lack of certification or registration. This
forum includes both certified and non-certified exhibitors to encourage peer learning
and smoother onboarding into formal systems,” he said.

Hon. Mbadi further highlighted the growing impact of the BUBU policy, noting a rise
in local product visibility from 20% in 2015 to 56% today, driven by reforms in public
procurement and industrial support programs.

The Minister encouraged MSMEs in western Uganda to leverage this platform to
scale up their production, formalize their businesses, and position themselves
competitively both within Uganda and across the region.