By Kabuye Ronald
Mbarara City today hosts the National Entrepreneurs and Traders Association (NETA) Market Day at University Inn, bringing together vendors, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and traders from across the region to showcase their products and services in a free public exhibition.
The one-day event is expected to attract hundreds of exhibitors and visitors, providing businesses with an opportunity to expand their customer base, establish new partnerships and promote locally made products. Entry to the exhibition is free for members of the public.
Beyond business exhibitions, the event will feature a variety of entertainment and lifestyle activities, including dance performances, a shopping experience, a mini food festival, a cocktail session and a live music festival.
According to the NETA Uganda Chairperson, Dr. Thadeus Musoke Nagenda, the Mbarara Market Day is part of a nationwide exhibition programme that will be rolled out across various districts in Uganda to support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Dr. Musoke said the initiative aims to increase traders’ incomes by expanding market opportunities and connecting entrepreneurs with potential customers, investors and development partners. He noted that the exhibitions will also provide a platform for vendors who were displaced from roadsides and kiosks following enforcement of trading regulations, enabling them to legally market and sell their products.
He added that participants will have opportunities to access business training, explore financing options through partner organizations and strengthen networks among entrepreneurs and traders.
The programme also seeks to promote the government’s Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU) initiative by encouraging the production, marketing and consumption of locally manufactured goods while strengthening NETA Uganda’s structures across the country.
Organisers have encouraged members of the public, business owners and investors to attend the exhibition and support local enterprises as Uganda continues to promote entrepreneurship and economic growth.
For inquiries, interested participants may contact +256 707 959 416, +256 792 914 412, or +256 772 590 122.
