Uganda moves to acquire 600 acres in Wakiso for Dei BioPharma expansion

Uganda's government has initiated steps to acquire an additional 600 acres of land in Gombe Division, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, to facilitate the expansion of Dei BioPharma Limited's pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing facility. The expansion targets Wabitembe, Kiryowa and Kigoogwa villages.

Dei BioPharma founder Dr Matthias Magoola said the factory currently sits on 400 acres but needs more land to obtain international certification to produce advanced medicines. "The existing land is insufficient for the company's planned expansion, which I believe will position Uganda as a major manufacturer of medicines and vaccines," he said at a community meeting with residents. The plant produces human therapies including hydroxyurea for sickle cell management and biologic platform technologies such as mRNA, viral-vector and recombinant vaccines, and plans to make veterinary products including foot-and-mouth disease vaccines.

Minister of State for Privatisation and Investment Amina Mukalazi said international regulatory standards require buffer zones between heavy pharmaceutical manufacturing plants and residential communities, making the land acquisition necessary. Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba said the affected communities, including landlords and bibanja holders, will be sensitised before boundary opening is carried out to establish plot sizes, after which valuation teams will present property disclosures to landowners.

Attorney General Sam Mayanja told residents that affected neighbours will be fully compensated within the shortest possible time. The wider development plan is expected to generate tax revenue, export earnings and up to 40,000 jobs in the Gombe area alone, alongside secondary developments in Kamuli District for raw pharmaceutical ingredients.