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3rd March , 2026 , Hits: 157
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), in partnership with TradeMark Africa (TMA), today launched the highly anticipated Standards and Metrology Media Initiative during an exclusive Editors’ Engagement Meeting held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala.
The initiative funded by UKAID through TradeMark Africa aims to bridge the information gap regarding product quality, consumer safety, and fair trade by establishing dedicated standards and metrology reporting desks within Ugandan media houses. The initiative will ensure accurate reporting of Quality, Standards, Metrology and related issues, as well as UNBS efforts in attaining Uganda’s ten-fold growth strategy by 2040.
Addressing the media executives, Ms. Ann Nambooze, Country Director at TradeMark Africa (Uganda & South Sudan), underscored the critical role of quality certification in transforming Uganda’s economic fortunes on the global stage.
“If all export products meet quality standards, it means Uganda will earn more money from selling quality products to the international markets,” Ms. Nambooze noted, emphasizing that compliance is the key to unlocking improved export performance.
Ms. Patricia Bageine Ejalu, the Deputy Executive Director of Standards at UNBS, revealed that UNBS has decentralized its services to make quality assurance more accessible to local producers and reduce the cost and time of conformity assessment.
“UNBS has established regional labs in Gulu, Mbale, and Mbarara to ease product quality testing for producers. This has reduced congestion at our main testing lab in Bweyogerere, as well as reduce the cost of doing business for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. We are targeting to receive 100,000 samples of products to be tested for quality approval every year,” Ms. Ejalu explained. She noted that these labs process essential food and agricultural items, including edible fats and oils, dairy products, water, and cereals before they hit the market.
Ms. Ejalu also appealed to the media to support the enforcement of mandatory product certification while promoting voluntary management performance standards. Highlighting the often-overlooked science of metrology, she stated: “Measurements are vital in all life. What cannot be measured, cannot be controlled. Metrology is the science of measurement and involves work done to maintain standards, calibration of industrial machinery, and the verification of weights and measures.”
Shifting the narrative from strict policing to collaborative growth, Mr. Deus Mubangizi, Acting Deputy Executive Director of Compliance at UNBS, urged the media and the public to view the bureau as a business enabler rather than merely an enforcement agency.
“We are hand-holding businesses to help them know what, where, and why to certify to ensure the quality and marketability of their products,” Mr. Mubangizi said. He challenged the media to help Ugandans understand that good quality products are not only more marketable but are foundational to ensuring public health safety and driving national development.
Setting the stage for this new media partnership, Ms. Sylvia Kirabo, Head of Public Relations & Marketing at UNBS, expressed high expectations for the collaboration. "Our goal today is to forge a lasting alliance. We expect this initiative to empower media houses to act as our primary ambassadors—translating technical guidelines into actionable, everyday knowledge that empowers the Ugandan consumer and protects our markets," she said.
Dr. Ivan Lukanda from Makerere University delivered a compelling presentation on the intersection of journalism and science. He noted that the media serves as the ultimate translator for the public. "Journalists have the unique power to demystify the highly technical science of metrology. By accurately reporting on standards, the media plays an indispensable role in holding both producers and regulators accountable, ultimately safeguarding public health," Dr. Lukanda stated.
As part of the initiative launched today, UNBS and TMA officially announced an upcoming regional training program for journalists on Standards and Metrology Reporting, scheduled to run from March 1st to 12th, 2026 in Mukono, Jinja, Mbale, Gulu and Mbarara districts. This will be followed by the activation of specialized reporting beats across participating media houses.
About UNBS:
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a government agency mandated to develop, promote, and enforce national standards in protection of public health and safety, and the environment.
About TradeMark Africa:
TradeMark Africa (TMA) is a leading Aid-for-Trade organization that aims to grow prosperity in Africa through trade. TMA works in close partnership with governments, the private sector, and civil society to unlock economic potential by reducing barriers to trade, improving business competitiveness, and facilitating safe, efficient cross-border commerce.
For more information please contact;
Sylvia Kirabo,
Principal Public Relations Officer,
Telephone: 256 417 333250 / 0703 196903
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug /sylvia.kirabo@unbs.go.ug