UNBS UPGRADES FUEL CALIBRATION RIG PLUS: • UNBS wins Best Web Interface Award • UNBS’ New State of the Art Lab • Full List of UNBS Certified Products UNBS - Standards House Bweyogerere Industrial Park, Plot 2 - 12, Kyaliwajala road, P.O Box 6329 Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256 417 333 250 +256 312 262 688/9 Fax: +256 414 286 123 Website: www.unbs.go.ug Emial: [email protected] Toll Free Hotline: 0800133133 PUBLISHER The Quality Chronicles is a Quarterly publication produced for the Uganda National Bureau of Standards by: EAST AFRICAN MEDIA CONSULT Serena Hotel International Conference Centre Suite 152, P.O.Box 71919, Kampala Telephone: 256-41-4341725/6 Facsimile:256-41-4341726 Mob: 0772 593939 E-mail: [email protected] Editorial www.eastafricanmediaconsult.co.ug Uganda National Bureau of Standards MANAGING EDITOR continues to register success as one of the Julius Edwin Mirembe 0772 593939 leading government agencies both in service Contents delivery and non-tax revenue collection. In its EDITOR annual year performance report for 2018/2019, Jovia Kaganda • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S PREFACE 041-4341725/6 the Bureau undertook Product Certification and UNBS Registers Exponential Growth in SME Registration 4 Management Systems Certification to improve STAFF WRITERS the quality of locally manufactured products so Julius Edwin Mirembe • FEATURE: Timothy Kyamulesire that more Ugandan goods are able to access Ssemutooke Joseph UNBS Set To Open Ultra Modern regional and international markets. This has Akena Joel Food Safety Laboratories 8 translated in increased growth. East African Media Consult • LEAD STORY Exports to the East African region grew by DESIGN AND LAYOUT Unbs Upgrades Calibration Rig To 51.8 percent from US$ 89.40 million in May Allan Brian Mukwana State Of The Art 12 East African Media Consult 2016 to US$ 135.74 million in May 2017. Exports • MARKET SURVEILLANCE to Tanzania and Kenya registered the largest DISCLAIMER Bureau Cracks Whip Alcohol & increases of 114.5 percent and 111.2 percent The opinions expressed in the Quality Chronicles Polythene Bag Manufacturers 16 magazine are not necessarily those of the respectively. East African Media Consult. Unless otherwise indicated, articles appearing in the Quality • SPECIAL REPORT With 95% of National Food Safety Laboratory Chronicles may be reprinted provided EAMC and Grain Standards To Mitigate On construction complete UNBS will be proud to the author are acknowledged. Killer Invisible Poison 20 have one of the largest ultra modern National The publisher reserves the right to edit/cut/ or delete any information he may feel is not • FEATURE referral labs within the East African Region On relevant to the publication. UNBS SCOOPS “e” GOVERNMENT top this UNBS beat off competition from other ADVERTISING SERVICES AWARDS 2019 26 government agencies to win the e-government services Award organized by National All enquiries should be addressed to • UNBS STANDARDS REGISTER: Information Technology Authority (NITA) for East African Media Consult Register of Certified Products as of Telephone 041 - 4341725/6 June 30th 2019 30 Best Interactive Portal What a way to continue Email: [email protected] Celebrating 30 years of Service. Suffice to note that this wouldn’t have been possible without the input of other stake holders. We would like to extend our gratitude to all our advertisers that continue to play a pivotal role of supporting Quality Chronicles is a Quarterly the quality Chronicles. We are here because of magazine published for the Uganda Na- you. THANK YOU. Enjoy the reading! tional Bureau of Standards. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publishers do not guarantee the accuracy of statements made by CHRONICLES contributors and advertisers nor accept responsibility for anti statements, Jovia Kaganda which are expressed in this publication. The publisher also reserves the rights to edit/cut/and or delete any information QUALITY he may feel is not relevant to the publication. SEPT 2019 | UNBS @ 30 3 Dr. Ben Manyindo UNBS’ Executive Director, In its annual year performance report for 2018/2019, the Uganda UNBS Registers National Bureau of Standards UNBS undertook Product Certification and Management Systems Certification Exponential to improve the quality of locally manufactured products so that more Ugandan goods are able to access Growth in SME regional and international markets. This saw an increased growth in product certification, more goods Registration sold to the East African markets CHRONICLES and 95% of laboratory construction More locally manufactured goods complete. The Executive Director UNBS Dr. Ben Manyindo presents the access export market report highlighting key sectors. QUALITY 4 SEPT 2019 | UNBS @ 30 Product access to export market (MSMEs) seeking certification. We of staff to handle the increased registered 1,339 MSMEs seeking number of applicants and to assist The exports to the East African certification. We also trained 847 MSMEs through the certification region grew by 51.8 percent from and visited 619 MSMEs to build their process. US$ 89.40 million in May 2016 to capacity to apply standards and US$ 135.74 million in May 2017. produce products that conform to Standards Development Exports to Tanzania and Kenya standards thus contributing to the registered the largest increases UNBS developed 404 standards government’s export promotion of 114.5 percent and 111.2 percent against a target of 400. Out of 404 strategy. respectively. Most of these exports standards, 212 are in the area of are manufactured products that UNBS certified 1,350 products chemicals and consumer products, require UNBS Distinctive Mark, and against a target of 3,000 permits. 62 under engineering, 96 under the need for manufacturers to invest All certified products were able to food and agriculture and 34 under in quality and certification of their access the wider EAC market. We management and services. products. issued 28 management systems Standards for cosmetics were certification permits against a target In 2018 a new regulation came into developed including shea butter, a of 35. force on use of UNBS Distinctive product widely produced by SMEs Mark. It became mandatory for The shortfall was due to failure by in the country. products covered by compulsory a number of MSMEs to pay fees for The Fisheries sector contributes standards to be certified and issued both testing and auditing despite 1.5% to the GDP of the country with with a distinctive mark before they registration; failure by MSMEs export receipts in excess of USD are allowed on the market. As a to address gaps in conformity 140 million. In order to promote result, we witnessed an exponential to standards identified during sustainable fishing activities, a increase in the number of Micro, certification audits; low technology standard for a fishing gill net was Small and Medium Scale Enterprises base among MSMEs and; shortage elaborated. >>>>>>>>>CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 CHRONICLES QUALITY SEPT 2019 | UNBS @ 30 5 >>>>>>>>>FROM PAGE 5 Under textiles, standards for These included chemicals, food billion (USD 7,856,604) were denied manufacture of school garments items, electrical items, materials & entry into Uganda thus protecting were developed. These standards engineering items, to ensure that more than 5 million consumers from also directly contribute to the both locally manufactured and consuming substandard products. implementation of the Buy Uganda imported items conform to Uganda 428 motor vehicles worth Shs650 Build Uganda (BUBU) Policy Standards. million that did not meet standards considering that most of the school were denied entry into the Ugandan The e-certificates were successfully clothing are manufactured locally. market. Therefore, consumers were implemented under Laboratory saved from spending Shs650 million Standards for farm tools and Information Management System on motor vehicles that did not meet implements such as spades, hoes, (LIMS) to improve on turnaround standards. 222 tonnes of a variety wheelbarrows and machetes were time. Analytical Laboratories test of substandard products worth reviewed. The standards contribute result response time has generally shs992 million seized at the point of to improvement of quality of the improved from an average of 30 importation were destroyed. These tools on the market considering that days in the last financial year to included food and food products, these have been highlighted among 20 upon submission of a product chemicals and consumable the common substandard products sample for testing. products, assorted electronics, in the market place. UNBS has put in place a laboratory mattresses and assorted textiles. Under furniture, standards for recognition scheme where over 15 The Import Inspectors were products such as dining tables, public and private laboratories can deployed to 20 additional entry wooden wardrobes, steel filing be contracted to test samples on border points and customs inland cabinets, office chairs and composite behalf of UNBS. container depots which resulted office tables were developed. Analysis of veterinary drug residues in inspection of additional 8,600 Under the ICT sector, the standards was consolidated with support from consignments per annum. This for network security and information the International Atomic Energy resulted in the protection of security management systems were Agency (IAEA) project to safeguard about 900,000 consumers from developed. The standards provide consumption