Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government said yesterday is looking for fresh investors for 20 factories after repossession.
The firms despite being privatised failed to deliver per sold agreement and most lie idle for couple of years.
The Minister for Industry and Trade, Prof Kitila Mkumbo said the government was in the final stage to repossess other 48 industries that also failed to deliver, mostly since privatised.
“The government conducted an assessment in 2017 and found that only 88 out of 156 factories were operating in accordance with the privatisation requirements.
“So far the government has repossessed 20 factories that do not have any legal technicalities and are ready for re-privatising,” Prof Mkumbo said during a press conference in Dar es Salaam.
Out of 20 factories, ten factories will be privatised afresh while eight factories have been handed over to the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) for investment in Special Economic Zones (SEZ). EPZA will prepare the procedure for finding investors in those areas.
The minister further said the remaining two forms—Mang’ula Mechanical Machine Tools factory in Morogoro which will be handed over to National Development Corporation (NDC) and Mbeya Ceramics to Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) for which they will form joint ventures with private investors.
Prof Mkumbo said the other ten firms will be privatised under an open bid procedures. These firms are Kilimanjaro Paddy Hauling Company based in Kilimanjaro, Polysacks Company Ltd- Dar es Salaam, NMC Isaka Rice Mill Company Ltd – Shinyanga, Multipurpose Oil Seed Processing Co Ltd (MOPROCO) – Morogoro, CDA Integrated Concrete Industry- Dodoma, Manawa Generries Ltd- Mwanza.
Others are NMC Tabora Rice Mill—Tabora, Musoma Textiles Mill—Musoma, NMC Mzizima Maize Mill Dar es Salaam and Pesticides Manufacturers Ltd – Kilimanjaro.
The industries under EPZA are Mwanza Tanneries in Mwanza, TPL Shinyanga Meat Plant–Shinyanga, Ilulu Oil–Lindi, Nachingwea Cashewnut–Lindi, Mkata Samwmill Limited–Tanga, TPL Mbeya-Mbeya, Sikh Swamills Limited Tanga and National Steel Corporation located in Dar es Salaam.
This February, the government instructed the ministry to repossess undeveloped factories despite of being privatised many years ago.
