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Lira Spinning Mill key to textile revival

18 August 2026, 5:13 pm

Members of the 12th Parliament during a parliamentary sitting.

By Eman Yonah Oruk

Members of the 12th Parliament have strongly urged the Government to prioritise the revitalisation of Uganda’s cotton and textile value chain through the rehabilitation and operationalisation of the Lira Spinning Mill.

The motion was moved by Dr Eunice Apio Otuko, the Oyam North Constituency Member of Parliament and UPC Whip, who emphasised that the Lira Spinning Mill was once a thriving industrial giant in the Lango Sub-region. She noted that the mill was originally designed to process Ugandan-grown cotton, supply domestic textile factories and provide stable employment opportunities before it fell silent more than four decades ago.

Hon Dr Eunice Apio Otuko speaking on the motion to revitalise Uganda’s cotton and textile value chain through the rehabilitation and operationalisation of Lira Spinning Mill – Eng.
Dr Eunice Apio Otuko moves a motion calling for the rehabilitation and operationalisation of Lira Spinning Mill.

In support of the motion, Hon Cohen Amanya, the Member of Parliament for Igara West, proposed an amendment to broaden the scope of the initiative to include all cotton ginneries and milling factories across the country. He argued that a nationwide approach would promote equitable development and maximise the benefits of cotton production across all regions.

Hon Richard Ongorok, the Member of Parliament for Usuk County, recalled that the Teso Sub-region was once Uganda’s largest cotton-growing area before the economic collapse of the 1960s. He stressed that cotton was historically the backbone of education and foreign exchange earnings, enabling families to educate their children while contributing to the national economy. He expressed strong support for the revitalisation of the cotton industry, highlighting its potential to restore livelihoods and strengthen economic stability.

Hon Richard Ongorok speaks in support of the revitalisation of the cotton industry and the Lira Spinning Mill.

Responding to the motion, the State Minister for Cooperatives, Hon Tom Aza, assured Parliament that the Government was committed to the initiative. He promised to present an action-taken report detailing ongoing efforts to rehabilitate and operationalise cotton milling factories across the country, including the Lira Spinning Mill.

State Minister for Cooperatives, Hon Tom Aza, responds to the motion on the rehabilitation and operationalisation of cotton milling factories, including Lira Spinning Mill.

The parliamentary debate underscores the urgency of revitalising Uganda’s cotton industry, which has the potential to create jobs, boost exports and restore the country’s textile sector as a cornerstone of industrial growth.