Odrek Rwabogo addressing the media in Kampala on Wednesday.The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), Odrek Rwabogo has said that the Committee continues to work normally, despite the arrest of its senior manager, and a social media buzz declaring the entity illegal.In 2022, PACEID was established to address and overcome the strategic and operational bottlenecks that impede Uganda from fully harnessing its industrial and export potential. Based on 4 key strategic pillars PACEID is driven to achieve USD 6BN new money by 2028. Since 2022, Uganda’s exports surged from US $4.2 billion in 2022 to US $8.2 billion in 2024.However, for the past months, social media has been abuzz, with some users declaring the Committee illegal.It worsened on Tuesday following the arrest of Mathew Bagonza, PACEID’s Head of Secretariat.While addressing the media in Kampala on Wednesday, Rwabogo said he learnt of Bagonza’s arrest at 10am on Tuesday. He noted that upon learning of his arrest, he made phone calls to all known security organs, in search of Bagonza, and his crime. He failed to locate him. He then drove to Entebbe to meet the President over the matter.“The President said he wasn’t aware of Bagonza’s arrest, and did not order for the same,’’ said Rwabogo. “We are working to find where Bagonza is, and return him safely to his family.’’He appealed to friends of PACEID and Bagonza to pray for the latter. “’Keep him in your prayers. Pray for him,’’ said Rwabogo, describing Bagonza as competent, honest, and independent-minded. He said PACEID will follow the law if there are cases to answer.On the issue of the legality of PACEID, Rwabogo said that upon meeting the President, he said: ‘’PACEID, go and work.’’Rwabogo said that since PACEID was set up on the directive of the President, only the appointing authority can dissolve it.To this, he called on local, and international partners as well as investors of PACEID’s legality, and its normal operations amidst on-going issues on social media.“PACEID is open, working, and pursuing its mandate. Our country remains open for investment despite these social media buzz,’’ said Rwabogo.“PACEID reassures Uganda’s exporters, farmers, international buyers, investors and partners that we remain open and operational. Our focus remains Uganda’s economic transformation through export growth, value addition, industrial development and access to international markets.’’ The post Rwabogo: PACEID is Operating Normally, Focused on Uganda’s Economic Transformation appeared first on Business Focus.