By: Melanie Aanyu

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has impounded two Kenyan trucks smuggling battery scrap from Uganda.

The truck registration numbers; KBH 790Y/ZC 3629 and KBQ413V/ZC 2728 are currently parked at the One Stop Border Post at Busia pending transfer to Kampala.

Last year, the government through the ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives banned the exportation of battery raw materials starting this financial year 2022/2023.

Harriet Ntabazi, the state minister for Trade, said the ban will improve the manufacturing sector and generate revenue.

Currently, local battery manufacturing industries face a scarcity of raw materials to support their production processes.

The scarcity is linked to among others the rampant smuggling of battery scrap into Kenya and Rwanda and other countries.

Speaking about the impounded tracks, the minister said her ministry is working with URA to have the cars towed or brought to Kampala.

Uganda has about 53 businesses which have batteries listed among their services.