Authorities Bust Fake Cement Ring in Tororo
On the evening of Wednesday, August 7, 2024, authorities in Tororo district conducted a successful raid against a group involved in producing and selling counterfeit cement. The operation, which was a collaborative effort by the police, Uganda Revenue Authority, and the Resident District Commissioner’s office, resulted in the seizure of over four tonnes of fake cement.
The counterfeit cement, found at Akapa Trading Center about five kilometers from Tororo town along the Tororo-Jinja highway, was packaged in bags imitating those of reputable brands such as Simba Cement, Tororo Cement, and Hima Cement. The counterfeiters had even gone as far as replicating digital stamps to make the products appear genuine. The operation led to the impounding of a truck with registration number UAU 342W and the arrest of the driver, Mathew Wandera Othieno.
Albert Amula, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner for Tororo who led the operation, credited the success to intelligence gathered from reliable sources. He expressed optimism that Othieno’s arrest would provide leads to the main culprits behind the counterfeit operation. “Our action was based on intelligence provided by trusted whistleblowers about the fake cement production in the area,” Amula said.
Amula urged the police to continue investigating the primary figures involved in this illicit trade, including those supplying the counterfeit packaging materials. He highlighted that the fake cement, sold at prices between 26,000 and 28,000 shillings, is often mixed with genuine cement at construction sites and sold at lower prices. This practice undermines the quality of construction and poses safety risks.
Contractors are advised to buy construction materials only from licensed hardware stores to avoid such issues. Amula emphasized the connection between substandard materials and building collapses.
Local cement manufacturers have called for stricter regulations to address the issue of counterfeit products. A construction site manager, who preferred to remain anonymous, criticized legal loopholes that allow those caught in these illegal activities to avoid serious penalties, expressing frustration with the lack of significant consequences for the perpetrators.
