KAMPALA. The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), in partnership with the Uganda Police, has shut down a mini factory operating illegally on the rooftop of Naiga Plaza in Kikuubo after discovering large quantities of counterfeit paint disguised as popular brands.
During the operation, authorities seized hundreds of buckets of fake paint and arrested several suspects accused of adulterating at least six major paint brands, including Plascon, Sadolin, Duracoat, and Robbialac. The counterfeiters allegedly used forged seals, fake stickers, and recycled branded containers to deceive buyers and retailers across Kampala.
According to UNBS officials, the illegal operators were not only evading taxes ,but also using lead-based substances, posing serious health and environmental risks.
“There is also a global concern about paint, it contains lead. Lead is a heavy metal and is prohibited. If you are to mix lead in paint, there are permitted levels regulated by UNBS. The kind of people we have found here have no knowledge whatsoever on what paint is supposed to be made of, so they cannot make decisions to put a quality product on the market,” said Ms Sylvia Kirabo, UNBS spokesperson on October 28.
Ms Kirabo warned that adulterated paint can have devastating consequences for human health and the environment.
“If paint is adulterated, it’s dangerous to the environment and to people. Poorly measured ingredients can be harmful, and remember, this paint can end up in schools, affecting the mental capacity and health of children and anyone who comes in contact with it,” she said.
Investigations revealed that the factory supplied a chain of retail outlets and shops around the city. Many of the fake products looked identical to genuine brands, making it nearly impossible for consumers to tell the difference.
Ms Kirabo said the illegal activity undermines fair trade and robs genuine investors of their market share.
“We have found over six brands being counterfeited, these are brands that the Bureau has assessed and given a certification mark. Currently, we have over 40 manufacturers certified to produce paint, putting forward more than 230 brands. These people are not paying taxes, yet they are infiltrating the market and taking away money and resources that should go to genuine manufacturers,” she said.
The suspects are currently in police custody and will face charges including counterfeiting, trademark infringement, and violations of the UNBS Act once investigations are complete.
“Their fate is that we work together with the law and order sector, so they will be taken into police custody and the law will take its course. We have a Standards and Utilities Court that was put in place by government to fast-track cases related to standards and non-compliance,” Ms Kirabo added.
However, she noted that UNBS’s role goes beyond enforcement, it also focuses on reforming small manufacturers.
“Even as we identify such people, we try to bring them on board and train them. This is not the end of the story. We want to have them with us, train them, and nurture them to do genuine manufacturing. Sometimes people do these things out of ignorance,” she said.
The operation followed months of market intelligence. Since August, UNBS has been conducting nationwide surveillance on counterfeit goods, and several adulterated paints were traced back to Kampala, believed to be the main hub for illegal production and distribution.
“We have established that the issue of substandard products is real, but we have not given up on our role and mandate. We shall continue to monitor the market. We have also started a sector-based approach, instead of combing the entire market, we are handling one sector at a time. Today, we are focusing on paint,” Ms Kirabo explained.
UNBS says the crackdown is part of its broader effort to protect consumers, ensure fair trade, and promote the growth of genuine manufacturers contributing to Uganda’s economy.