![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I get there, participate in the exhibition, then I get spotted by a ministry official at my stall. I fought tooth and nail to get there without any helping hand from the relevant ministry. The Livara experience took me down memory lane 15 years ago when I was involved in a similar exhibition on the technological front in Switzerland. In my view, it is the highest form of balderdash. All they know is to be co-opted as business partners by investors that want an easy way into the local economy. I am certain that none of the ministers has ever engaged in any sensible business that involves starting from basics. Apparently the Ministers would do the talking for us.” How thick headed can you be? To expect a minister to market cosmetics on behalf of the entrepreneur? Where do our civil servants sometimes leave their brains? This is such a brainless move. The killer was this, “ Come Uganda day, the few exhibitors were clearly told not to set foot in the pavilion. Not only is she armed with impeccable marketing material but she is vividly too ready to market Uganda then all they give her is some minuscule space and request she ships back her consignment, Huh!!! This leaves me with no choice but to use an alternative synonym for daft to define some of these officials as foolhardy. Need I point out that I was the only local manufacturer with catalogues and magazines full of information about us and Uganda’s Shea butter greatness? I had to fight for the little box that I was given and then requested to have my other goods shipped back home.” After jumping all the hoops and making it to Dubai, she gets stranded having no display space, yet she had been invited by the Uganda Industrial Research Institute to participate. She further says, “ That aside, I got to our Ugandan Pavilion and I had no space allocation to exhibit yet I had submitted a list of items that I intended to exhibit. They focus on the excitement of earning money as opposed to fronting the nation’s entrepreneurs for global opportunities as well as making the nation attractive to foreigners. It seems during this time they are preoccupied with being part of the team that is selected to fly out of the country and earn per-diem. ![]() She states, “ On invitation, I expected to have a brief sent to me about what to expect at the expo, the set – up requirements in the minimum, the recommended hotels, the transport options, the requirements for travel, etc……Nothing was shared even after several requests for information.” I must admit this is a typical fingerprint of how a good number of Government officials behave when it comes to such events. The challenges she faced and has narrated in a missive shared on WhatsApp swung me down memory lane. It is unlikely she (I assume it is a lady) was facilitated by the Government but never the less, the proprietor went out of their way to ensure participation. They were invited to participate in the Expo by the Uganda Industrial Research Institute. Their hair and skin products are made using pure raw Nilotica shea butter from North East Uganda. I for the first time heard about Livara Natural Organics, a company that identifies itself as Uganda’s leading natural and organic cosmetics manufacturer. They are largely to do with the way our government officials have organised our participation. However, there are some undercurrents that we cannot continue ignoring. This obviously is such a good opportunity to showcase what we have to offer as a country. Uganda is participating in the Expo 2020 Dubai currently taking place in the United Arab Emirates. ![]()
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