Correspondence by David Mpande
Namawojjolo is an area that needs no introduction to any Ugandan.
Synonymous with delicious roadside chicken thighs and wings the size of which sparks debate among those who devour the delicacy and those who don’t, Monday saw Uganda’s most revered ‘highway chefs’ bear witness to a significant interception of one of the popular smuggled items over the past couple of years – ‘Kitenge’.
With the renewed spirit of afro-fashion on the continent best exemplified by the ‘Kisaati Masavu’ movement and the emergence of a new crop of bespoke apparel designers, the fabric is back in vogue. Known as Kitenge in East Africa and Ankara in West Africa and closely associated with the mother continent, the material is largely produced outside the continent and imported.
Uganda, in a move to protect the infant local textile industry, increased taxes on imported fabric in a classic example of the import substitution strategy to promote BUBU in the apparel industry.
However, a few crafty Ugandans dared to smuggle in the fabric to dodge the taxes due on the fabric and an unfortunate smuggler met his fate late on Monday night.
Team One Enforcement, deployed covertly along the Jinja – Kampala highway anticipated and intercepted Truck No. UBJ 193H brimming with Kitenge fabric.
The Vehicle was driven to the URA HQ Nakawa where verification of the intercepted items revealed the following; –
– 26 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.4mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Double Printed Cotton Kitenge Fabric, 90kg/Bale, Brand; Aningtex (16,146 Sq Mtrs)
– 4 Bales X 15 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.49mtrs X 1.15mts of Single Printed Polycotton Kitenge Fabric,70kg/Bale, Brand; Jolie Jolie (3,788.1 Sq Mtrs)
– 2 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.49mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Single Printed Polycotton Kitenge Fabric, 70kg/Bale, Brand; Super Quality Bazin (1,262.7 Sq Mtrs)
– 17 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.486mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Single Printed Polycotton Kitenge Fabric, 90kg/Bale, Brand; Super Winners (Super Java) (10,725.13 Sq Mtrs)
– 4 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.486mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Single Printed Polycotton Kitenge Fabric, 70kg/Bale, Brand; Super Golden Brilliant (Super Bazin Gold Vip) (2,523.56 Sq Mtrs)
– 2 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.48mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Single Printed Polycotton Kitenge Fabric, 70kg/Bale, Brand; Lapex Aningtex Bazin (1,260.4 Sq Mtrs)
– 9 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Sets X 5.486mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Printed 2pc Cotton Kitenge Fabric (Match & Mix), 70kg/Bale, Brand; Java Target Wax, (5,678.01 Sq Mtrs)
– 10 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.486mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Single Printed Polycotton Kitenge Fabric, 90kg/Bale, Brand; Superior Quality Bazin. (6,308.9 Sq Mtrs)
– 4 Bales X 10 Bundles X 10 Pcs X 5.49mtrs X 1.15mtrs of Double Printed Cotton Kitenge Fabric, 70kg/Bale, Brand; Lapex (2,525.4 Sq Mtrs)
– 55 Rolls X 25yards X 58 Inches of Plain Polyester Fabric Material, 4.4kg/Roll, Made in China, (1,852.19 Sq Mtrs)
– 9 Rolls X 25yards X 54 Inches of Polyester Netting Material, 2.5kg/Roll, (282.28 Sq Mtrs)
– 70 Rolls X 50yards X 58 Inches of Plain Polyester Interlining Fabric Material, 2.9kg/Roll, (4,714.675 Sq Mtrs)
