President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reaffirmed a fresh five‑year mandate for Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) Director General Robert Mukiza, extending his leadership of the investment promotion agency to 2031.
The renewal indicates the president’s confidence in Mukiza’s stewardship amid both accomplishments and controversy during his first term.
Mukiza, a long‑serving investment professional, first rose to prominence within UIA before being appointed director general in late 2021. Charged with driving foreign and domestic investment into Uganda’s economy, he has been credited by government officials with stabilising the authority’s operations and strengthening investor confidence, a key factor in President Museveni’s decision to grant a second term.
However, Mukiza’s tenure was not without turbulence. In late March 2026, an internal performance review leaked from UIA’s board painted a mixed picture of his leadership, citing stalled industrial park projects, governance challenges, budget overruns, and disagreements with senior ministers over strategic direction. The assessment raised doubts about his reappointment as his first term neared its end.
The reappointment comes as investors show renewed interest in Uganda’s investment climate, with UIA cited as playing a critical role in facilitating deals and navigating regulatory hurdles. President Museveni’s endorsement signals not only a vote of confidence in Mukiza but also an intention to maintain continuity at the agency at a time when the country seeks to attract more capital and job‑creating projects.
Mukiza’s success in his second term will depend on addressing operational criticisms while capitalising on opportunities to expand Uganda’s investment footprint across key economic sectors.
Uganda’s broader investment climate has shown encouraging signs. According to UIA data, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows reached an estimated $3.5 billion by October 2025, up sharply from around $922 million five years earlier, while exports of goods and services climbed to $13.4 billion last year, nearly doubling over five years.
Inflation has remained contained at an average 3.6 percent, and foreign exchange reserves expanded to about $6 billion, bolstering macroeconomic stability.
Economists say these trends, coupled with expected growth around 6.5 – 7 percent and renewed financing from development partners, position Uganda as an increasingly competitive destination in East Africa.
Continued improvements in investment facilitation and regulatory predictability will be critical for sustaining capital inflows, particularly as global FDI shows uneven recovery amid shifting investor sentiment.
Mukiza’s second term will focus on consolidating UIA’s role in attracting strategic investments that support Uganda’s long‑term growth ambitions.