President Yoweri Museveni will officiate at the forthcoming Uganda Construction and Infrastructure Forum and Exhibition (UCIFE) 2023, the lead organizer, the Uganda National Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors (UNABCEC) has confirmed.
UNABCEC is the umbrella body of key players in the road infrastructure network.
Themed: “Celebrating UNABCEC’s 30 years of shaping Uganda’s Construction Industry” Eng. JamesOne Olonya, the UNABCEC President told reporters that the much sought-after event will be comprised of a two-day high-level forum that will take place on Thursday, 14th, and Friday 15th December 2023, and a three-day exhibition that will run from Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th December 2023 at Kololo Independence Grounds.
He said that the forum will provide a platform for knowledge and exploring the latest trends in the construction industry.
“The forum and exhibition will focus on all aspects of the construction industry including; industry standards and regulation, engineering, materials, technology and innovation, equipment, contract financing, management solutions, architecture, and real estate, among others”, he told reporters at press conference presided over by Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport.
Key among other topics, the forum and exhibition will discuss the performance of Uganda’s Private Sector in the last three decades, investment opportunities in the construction sector, and standardization of construction materials.
Prof. PLO Lumumba, a notable Pan-Africanist who has delivered several speeches about African solutions to African problems, will deliver the keynote address to over 500 participants expected to attend the forum, Mr. Olonya said.
He said the events are part of the association’s 30th Anniversary celebrations.
“As we look back on the last 30 years we have been in existence, we marvel at the incredible journey that UNABCEC has undertaken. From our humble beginnings, our association has risen to become the torchbearer of excellence and the voice of Uganda’s construction industry,” he said, adding that the industry’s stakeholders commemorate the industry’s achievements, reflect on their shared journey, and set their gaze on the future of the industry.
“This milestone provides us with an opportunity to showcase our collective strength, expertise, and unwavering commitment to excellence.”
On his part, Gen. Katumba Wamala said the upcoming forum and exhibition will help to provide answers to unanswered questions in the construction sector including the unit cost per Kilometer, the delayed implementation time of construction projects, and the question of local contractors in acquiring construction projects among others.
He said UNABCEC and its members have played in shaping Uganda’s construction and infrastructure landscape over the years.
“If there is anybody here who will tell me that his life is not influenced by these people, either by the road, by the building, or employment. Rise up your hand and you say for me, those people don’t concern me. Each one of us life is influenced by the activities of the infrastructure and the construction industry,” he said revealing that his ministry has partnered with UNABCEC to initiate UCIFE 2023 as an annual forum where sector players meet to discuss sector challenges and opportunities.
