Nabbanja Moves to Commission CN Sugar Before Licence, Operational Issues Are Settled

What the report says

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has scheduled September 4 for the commissioning of CN Sugar’s factory in Namayingo District even though the company’s fresh sugar mill licence application is still before regulators, according to Nile Post. The move has drawn attention because licensing issues around the project have been ongoing for some time and remain unresolved.

The article says CN Sugar previously faced legal and administrative setbacks, including a High Court ruling earlier in 2025 that found aspects of the company’s approvals unlawful and ordered it to stop operating until properly licensed by the authorized body. It also notes that Trade Minister Francis Mwebesa halted parts of the project in 2024 after a government verification exercise found CN had planted far less sugarcane than required for a viable nucleus estate.

Nile Post reports that the company’s latest application has been reviewed by the Sugar Industry Stakeholders Council, which had asked for more evidence. The publication says the matter was expected to return to the council on August 21, while Nabbanja’s August 12 letter instructed the ministry to ensure the relevant processes were completed before her visit. The letter also said President Yoweri Museveni had asked her to follow up on the licensing status, though it did not say he directed that the factory be licensed.

The story matters because it highlights the tension between political backing and the statutory process for approving sugar factories, including rules on cane supply, zoning and industry viability.