From Paper to Practice: Implementing Uganda's Industrialisation Agenda

This study sets out to establish how Uganda is approaching the implementation of its industrialisation agenda. The rationale is to interrogate the country’s poor implementation performance, explore approaches to successful industrial policy implementation and guide the implementers of Uganda’s industrialisation agenda to achieve sustainable results.

The study adopts a mixed, consultative and participatory process approach. From the literature, lessons are drawn on what the world has learned from 40 years of implementation research and the impediments to implementation in Uganda are highlighted. Key informant interviews among people working in GoU, private sector and development organisations involved in Uganda’s industrialisation agenda supplement the study’s literature review.

The key findings of the study centre on the following themes: weaknesses with Uganda’s industrialisation strategy; issues with the quality of Uganda’s industrialisation implementation plan; and where implementation power lies among the actors involved in the implementation process of the country’s industrial policy. The study also highlights a few successes that need to be consolidated and scaled up going forward; delineates the factors that play a role in delaying or failing implementation in Uganda; and provides recommendations to improve policy implementation and to ensure that Uganda’s industrialisation intentions are turned into results.