Dear Fellow Entrepreneurs and Business Community Members,

I feel compelled to share a story that led to the creation of this forum – a story that many of you might find painfully familiar. Between November 2024 and February 2025, what should have been a simple business name reservation at URSB transformed into a revealing demonstration of systemic administrative challenges that many Ugandan entrepreneurs face daily.

The Initial Application

The journey began with a straightforward application to reserve “Sand Federation (Uganda) Ltd” as a business name. What followed was far from straightforward.

The registrar created non-statutory requirements, objected to word placement without legal basis, and demanded unnecessary documentation at the name reservation stage. Each response to their queries was met with circular logic, demonstrating a concerning pattern of administrative obstruction.

The Escalation

After being forced to change the name to “Sand Industry Federation Ltd” and receiving approval, the same URSB office then used this expired reservation as grounds to block the original application. This circular logic exemplified the arbitrary nature of decision-making we often encounter.

Throughout this process, we maintained meticulous documentation:

• Twelve detailed formal responses to queries
• Six comprehensive complaints to senior management
• A 25-page transcript detailing the exact nature of queries and responses
• Multiple formal communications with oversight bodies

The Breaking Point

The situation reached a critical point when a registrar made an unprofessional phone call, saying in Luganda “Oyo atutawanya butawanyi” (“This person is just disturbing us”) and threatened to block all future applications. This blatant intimidation attempt highlighted the personal nature these administrative decisions can take.

Why UBRF Was Born

This experience revealed several critical issues that many of us face:

• Lack of clear administrative procedures
• Personal bias entering official decisions
• Institutional resistance to accountability
• Systematic obstruction of legitimate business activities

The Uganda Business Registration Forum was created as a direct response to these challenges. Our mission is to:

• Provide a platform for sharing experiences
• Create collective accountability
• Offer guidance and support
• Document and challenge administrative misconduct
• Drive systemic improvement in public service delivery

Moving Forward

While my case remains unresolved, the creation of UBRF represents a positive step toward addressing these systemic issues. Together, we can work toward:

• Greater transparency in administrative processes
• Clear accountability measures
• Reformed institutional practices
• Improved public service delivery

Share your thoughts and experiences below. Have you encountered similar challenges? How did you handle them? Let’s build a community of support and advocacy for better business registration practices in Uganda.