The government has reclaimed 15 more industrial plots from investors who failed to develop them within agreed timelines. According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the move is part of efforts to ensure land designated for industrial development is put to productive use instead of being held by investors who do not develop them. ALSO READ: Govt reclaims six industrial plots from investors Minister of Trade and Industry Antoine Kajangwe disclosed the initial repossession of six plots on August 3 while appearing before the Senate during a session on the development of industrial parks. Six of the 15 reclaimed plots are in Rwamagana Industrial Park; four are in Rusizi, three in Huye and two in Musanze. The plots will be reallocated to interested investors, with applications for industrial park land made through government services on the Irembo platform, according to Fred Mugabe, Industrial Policy Analyst at the Ministry of Trade and Industry. ALSO READ: Private sector flags key hurdles in industrial parks Mugabe said industrial parks are currently occupied at 59 per cent, leaving about 290 plots available for investors seeking to establish industries. To prevent delays in project implementation, the ministry has developed a system to track investors against the timelines attached to their projects. “Usually, investors are given six months to start the construction of factories and 24 months to complete and start operations,” Mugabe said. ALSO READ: Senate summons PM over issues in industrial park development “For the investors, who consistently fail to implement their projects withing agreed timelines, the land plots will be repossessed in phases depending on the allotted implementation timelines and agreed upon terms of state land contracts,” he said. Focus on four industrial parks Mugabe said the government is prioritising Rwamagana, Musanze and Muhanga Industrial Parks and Bugesera Special Economic Zone by providing the infrastructure needed to make them fully operational by at least 2029. “This is also coming with the introduction of a new management model where the government will dedicate management staff at each of the targeted industrial parks to work on a daily basis on solving challenges faced by companies operating in the park and providing facilitation services to the park tenants,” he said. The government is also offering incentives aimed at encouraging investment in industrial parks and expanding domestic manufacturing. He noted that these include trade facilitation, financing facilities, and regulatory policy changes.
