By Ben Musanje
Goodwill (U) Ceramic Company Limited has reported to police a social media campaign it says is spreading false claims about the safety and certification of its tiles, as the manufacturer also raises concern over the loss of its Kenyan export market, where it says up to 10 trucks of tiles were previously leaving its factory daily.
The company says the online allegations falsely suggest that its products have failed to meet certification or safety requirements by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the Ministry of Health.
Speaking at a press conference at its factory in Kapeeka, Nakaseke district, Goodwill Administrator Manager David Mawejje said the company reported the matter to police before the allegations could escalate.
“We couldn’t wait for it to get out of proportion, that’s why we went ahead to report the matter to police,” Mawejje said.
He said investigations, including forensic examination, were underway to establish the source of the information and identify those behind its circulation.
Mawejje said Goodwill had rejected the allegations and maintained that its tiles comply with Uganda’s regulatory requirements.
The company said all its products have undergone UNBS certification and that it possesses laboratory certificates and test reports to support its position.
Goodwill Public Relations Officer Fan Jun Jun said the company was awaiting further official clarification from UNBS but insisted that its certification records showed no irregularities.
“We have their test report, so everything is normal,” Fan said.
The company also denied claims that UNBS or the Ministry of Health had declared its products unsafe or non-compliant.
Goodwill described the alleged use of government agencies’ names in spreading the claims as particularly serious, saying such allegations could undermine public confidence in regulatory institutions and damage Uganda’s investment climate.
Kenya export market hit
While defending its products, Goodwill officials also drew attention to what they described as a significant decline in exports to Kenya.
Company officials said Goodwill previously exported at least 10 containers of tiles to Kenya daily, but that exports to the neighbouring country have since stopped following changes in Kenya’s trade and tariff policies.
The company said the development has left large quantities of tiles at its factory and affected potential export revenue.
Jun Jun said the issue goes beyond the company because reduced exports could affect employment, tax revenue and Uganda’s manufacturing sector.
He argued that regional trade restrictions can have consequences across the wider economy when a major local manufacturer loses access to an export market.
“It’s not just a company-to-company competition. It’s also country-to-country,” Omar said.
He said the loss of the Kenyan market means Uganda could lose tax revenue and employment opportunities associated with production and exports.
The company, however, did not provide independent figures at the press conference quantifying the value of the lost Kenyan exports or the resulting tax revenue.
Company says it is a major local manufacturer
Goodwill said it was established in 2017 with an investment of about US$30 million and began production in 2018.
Located at Liao-Shen Industrial Park in Kapeeka, the factory sits on about 26 acres and has a stated production capacity of 40,000 square metres of tiles per day, with approximately 200 tile designs.
The company said more than 90 per cent of its raw materials are sourced locally and that it directly employs more than 1,300 Ugandans, with thousands of additional jobs supported indirectly.
Goodwill also claims to control more than 70 per cent of Uganda’s tile market, although the company did not present independent market data to substantiate the figure.
Its products are sold in Uganda and exported to neighbouring countries, including South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The company said its operations demonstrate the potential of Uganda’s manufacturing sector to substitute imported products with locally manufactured goods.
Goodwill calls for investigation
Mawejje said the company wants police to identify the people behind the alleged misinformation and determine whether any laws were broken.
He said Goodwill would pursue legal action against individuals found to have deliberately fabricated or circulated false claims about the company’s products or falsely attributed statements to government agencies.
The company also urged the public and media to verify claims about its products through official regulatory channels rather than relying on social media posts.
Goodwill said the dispute comes amid Uganda’s efforts to promote domestic manufacturing and the “Buy Uganda, Build Uganda” agenda.
For now, the company maintains that its tiles are compliant with Uganda’s regulatory requirements, while the allegations circulating online and the circumstances surrounding the reported loss of its Kenyan export market remain matters requiring verification through the relevant authorities. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
