Uganda: Kamuli Dei Biopharma Factory Remains Idle Over Power Shortage
[Nile Post] Dei BioPharma, a multibillion-shilling pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kamuli District, has remained largely idle nearly a year after it was commissioned by President Museveni in November 2025 because of inadequate electricity supply.
The Kamuli Dei Biopharma manufacturing facility, situated in Kamuli District, has been largely inactive for nearly a year since its inauguration by President Museveni in November 2025 due to insufficient electricity supply. The factory, established to produce pharmaceutical-grade raw materials from locally sourced agricultural products, necessitates around five megawatts of electricity for its production machinery.
Initially, the company used generators, but the escalating fuel costs made this unsustainable. Proprietor Dr Mathias Magoola stated that the power shortage has forced the factory to halt production despite substantial investment. The Kamuli plant is the first in a series of biotechnology investments aimed at reducing Uganda's reliance on imported pharmaceutical inputs and creating a market for local agricultural produce.
The facility can process over 500 metric tonnes of raw materials daily, generating more than 10 by-products for pharmaceutical and food industries. Despite a Shs182 billion investment, the factory remains inactive due to the power shortage. The head of production noted that operating on generators costs Shs15 million daily, while electricity use costs only Shs2 million.
The lack of electricity has disrupted production at other Dei BioPharma facilities, including those in Matugga, Kampala, which rely on the Kamuli factory's outputs for vaccine and drug production. Energy Minister Dr Monica Musenero visited the facility and directed UEDCL to install a dedicated power line within two weeks to restore operations.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
