Veteran journalist and political commentator Andrew Mwenda has withdrawn his earlier criticism of Dei BioPharma founder Dr Matthias Magoola after visiting the company’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Matugga.
Speaking to journalists after touring the plant on Friday, Mwenda said the visit had changed his perception of the project.
“I am not an expert in the pharmaceutical industry. However, everything I have seen here is impressive,” Mwenda said. “What Magoola is doing looks great, and the facility is highly equipped.”
The remarks mark a shift from Mwenda’s earlier public criticism in which he described Dr Magoola as a conman and questioned the government’s decision to invest public funds in the pharmaceutical company.
Those comments prompted a response from President Yoweri Museveni, who challenged Mwenda to visit the facility and speak to its management before making conclusions.
“You are supposed to be a journalist,” Museveni wrote in a public letter. “Why do you not interview these ‘conmen’ such as Magoola, Senfuka, etc.? They are here in Uganda. They are where you can reach them and even the assets they have put on the ground. Visit Magoola’s factories in Matugga and Kamuli.”
Mwenda said he accepted the President’s criticism and decided to visit the facility.
“Beyond being a journalist, I also believe in the principles of natural justice, which dictate that you should not act as a judge and prosecutor in the same case, nor judge someone without listening to them. I came here to watch, observe, listen, learn and understand,” he said.
He said discussions with the company’s management and technical staff had influenced his revised assessment.
“They are highly educated and gave me convincing explanations of their operations. I am inclined to believe that investing in a project like this can be beneficial for the country,” he said.
Mwenda also reflected on whether his initial doubts had been influenced by preconceived attitudes.
“I questioned whether my initial skepticism was a symptom of a colonized mindset that struggles to accept that a black man can start a company destined to become worth billions of dollars,” he said. “I am willing to give Magoola the benefit of the doubt.”
Addressing Dr Magoola directly, Mwenda apologised for his earlier remarks.
“I want to apologize for mischaracterizing you,” he said. “I apologize for making a judgment about you without even talking to you. I apologize for making accusations against your work without visiting your plant. I ask for your forgiveness.”
Despite changing his position on the company, Mwenda criticised government agencies for importing medicines that, he argued, could eventually be produced locally.
He singled out the Ministry of Health, the Uganda Cancer Institute and the National Medical Stores, saying government investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing should be matched by efforts to procure locally manufactured medicines where feasible.
“If the government cannot provide a domestic market and act as the primary buyer for these products, the investment strategy falls short,” he said.
During the visit, Dr Magoola said Dei BioPharma has developed more than 100 patents covering biologic medicines, including therapeutic proteins, monoclonal antibodies, cytokines and vaccines. He said the company aims to manufacture biologic medicines in Uganda for both domestic and export markets.
He also outlined expansion plans, saying the Matugga facility is expected to create thousands of jobs, while a planned second facility in Kamuli would further increase production capacity.
Dr Patrick Wakida, chairman of the company’s board of governors, said the Government of Uganda holds a 9.4 percent stake in Dei BioPharma, with the remaining shares owned by Dr Magoola and private investors.
He acknowledged that the project had faced financing delays but said Cabinet had approved additional funding to support its completion.
Government funding for Dei BioPharma has attracted scrutiny in recent years. The Auditor General previously noted that the government’s equity acquisition was undertaken without a formal valuation of the company, an issue that has also been raised by Members of Parliament.
Mwenda had earlier apologised to President Museveni for suggesting that the President’s judgement had been affected by age and withdrew his description of Dr Magoola and herbalist David Ssenfuka as “conmen and witch doctors.” He said the visit to the Matugga facility enabled him to reassess his earlier views based on what he observed on site.
