Parliament’s Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry has intensified its inquiry into the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), placing the standards regulator at the centre of scrutiny over allegations of poor governance, delayed certification, weak enforcement of standards and complaints that its processes are stifling business growth rather than facilitating trade.
The committee started its probe on Wednesday by receiving evidence from stakeholders including Uganda Revenue Authority on the complaints by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on historical leadership, governance, and the constitutional mandate of UNBS. On Thursday, the committee met officials from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), former UNBS directors and other stakeholders as part of an investigation that was carried over from the 11th Parliament.
The inquiry seeks to establish whether leadership and governance failures in UNBS have undermined its constitutional mandate of protecting consumers while promoting trade and industrial growth.
Committee Chairperson Boniface Okot said Parliament revived the inquiry because of persistent public complaints over counterfeit products, leadership instability and concerns about the agency’s implementation of its mandate.
Okot said that widespread complaints about counterfeit goods necessitated the investigation.
The committee is examining both governance challenges and the bureau’s operational performance, particularly its relationship with small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which contribute about 20 percent of Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the private sector and employ approximately 2.5 million Ugandans.
Appearing before the committee, PSFU Policy Coordinator Martin Maku attributed many of UNBS’s challenges to severe understaffing.
He said the bureau is legally expected to employ about 1,200 staff but currently has only around 550 employees- less than half its required workforce despite the country’s growing number of districts and rapidly expanding private sector.
According to Maku, the shortage has crippled surveillance, inspection and certification services as businesses continue introducing new products requiring testing and certification.
He also blamed inadequate operational funding, saying inspectors often lack transport and facilitation to conduct regular market surveillance and verification of weighing equipment and product standards.
Stakeholders told MPs that obtaining UNBS certification has become one of the biggest obstacles to doing business.
Maku cited exporters transporting maize flour to South Sudan who reportedly wait up to a week for laboratory results after loading trucks, leading to financial losses.
Committee chairperson Okot said the delays are even worse for some businesses, with certification reportedly taking as long as eight months after payment.
He likened the situation to “buying a YAKA token and receiving it after eight months,” arguing that such delays defeat the purpose of trade facilitation.
The MPs also heard allegations of unofficial payments during certification. Maku acknowledged reports that businesses pay millions of shillings beyond official fees, attributing the practice to corruption and weak accountability.
He said failure to punish corrupt officials encourages unethical conduct and discourages investment.
Beyond corruption, stakeholders said official certification charges themselves are unaffordable for many small businesses.
While certification averages about Shillings 500,000, entrepreneurs also incur laboratory testing fees and annual renewal costs, which committee members heard can consume up to 60 percent of revenues for small industries.
Okot warned that these costs are forcing many rural enterprises out of business before they celebrate their first anniversary.
PSFU proposed reducing certification costs significantly, arguing that cheaper compliance would encourage formalisation, expand the tax base and ultimately increase government revenue.
The Rubaga South MP Eugenia Nassolo expressed concern that some manufacturers obtain certification using quality samples but later lower standards after approval.
She said UNBS lacks sufficient capacity to conduct routine inspections and follow-up surveillance because of inadequate funding and manpower.
Nassolo urged government to strengthen the bureau’s inspection capability to protect consumers from substandard products.
The committee also questioned why service delivery remains poor despite Parliament increasing UNBS’s budget from Shillings 63 billion to Shillings 138 billion.
Okot said MPs want officials to explain how the additional funding has been utilised and why complaints from businesses continue despite the significant budget increment.
The committee further raised concerns over frequent changes in UNBS leadership, allegations of corruption involving senior officials and persistent governance disputes within the National Standards Council and management.
Another major concern is UNBS’s limited presence at border entry points. The committee heard that many customs stations have no UNBS officers to inspect imported products, raising fears that counterfeit and potentially unsafe goods are entering the Ugandan market unchecked.
MPs also questioned why fishermen are penalised for using substandard fishing gear that should never have reached the market if UNBS had effectively regulated imports and distribution.
Okot said the inquiry continues on Friday when the committee will meet officials from UNBS, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of Finance.
