Discover the secret of great Tea with Mukwano
The Origin Story
Rwenzori Commodities Ltd, the producer of Mukwano Tea was founded by the Late Mzee Amirali “Mukwano” Karmali.
In January 1993, Rwenzori Commodities Limited acquired many abandoned tea estates in Kabarole and Kyenjojo districts in Western Uganda and started its operations by rehabilitating and planting 2493.94 hectares of tea out of 4721.14 hectares of land.
A total of four tea factories (Buzirasagama, Hima, Kigumba & Munobwa) were built with a capacity of 200,000 Kg of green leaf per day.
Sadly, today he is not with us, but he lives on forever in our hearts and with the immense legacy he has left behind through his daughter Rukhsana and her children.
We Miss and Love You Mzee.
OUR FACTORIES
Buzirasagama Tea Factory
Along the Fort Portal / Kampala Highway, 9km away from the City Centre, right and left lay the beautiful evergreen tea estates, namely; Kyakazini and Buzirasagama that lead to the green roofed Buzirasagama Tea Factory you see today. Buzirasagama Estate is situated in a belt of land which produces very high-quality tea.
In the year 1910, a British Ex-serviceman by the name of Saw Eric Paul developed and planted Coffee at Buzirasagama Estate. Later in 1947, Mr. Pillary Abdullah, an Asian businessman, embarked on tea planting. The Tea Factory was built in the 1958 and all Buzirasagama teas were exported to London. In the year 1972, then President Idi Amin Dada expelled the Asians and therefore, the tea was abandoned and the estates became a hideout for wild animals and highway robbers.
In January 1993, a new era began with Ugandan Industrialist MZEE MUKWANO stepping into Agriculture. The “GREEN REVOLUTION” in the Ugandan Tea Industry kicked off with his active participation. His thirst to invest in the fully neglected Ugandan Agricultural sector took him to India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Congo, China and Japan for expertise advice, modern technology and improved skills to develop Tea Production. Within a short period, high yielding, drought resistant, high quality tea clones were imported from Kenya, Rwanda, Congo and Malawi in order to develop tea nurseries for extensive tea planting in Western Uganda.
Buzirasagama Estate is situated in a fertile belt of land which produces very high quality tea.
At Buzirasagama Factory, there are three (3) CTC lines with a production capacity of 50,000kg of green leaf per day. Also, the factory produces specialty Green Tea for local consumption and exports.
Kigumba Tea Factory
Kigumba Tea Factory is located at Rwamakora, Katoke Sub County in Kyenjojo District, 12 km from Kyenjojo to Hoima Road.
In 1970, a British man by the name of William Broadhead started planting tea at the Kigumba estate, leased from the Bagumba. Out of 128.98 available hectares, 48 hectares were planted with clones 6/8 at Aswa estate. Within a short time in 1976, this estate was abandoned. In 1997, Rwenzori Commodities bought this estate from the family of Mr. Sam Rukuba.
In the year 2000, the rehabilitation work of the abandoned tea was completed and new planting started. By the end of 2004, tea was planted on 421.56 hectares of land when the new Kigumba factory was commissioned. The major clones planted in Kigumba were 6/8, 6/10, 54/40, K 4/11, BB 35, SFS 475, SFS 150 and 31/8.
The Kigumba factory is equipped to manufacture 80,000 kg green leaf per day, with three lines CTC machines and one line Orthodox machines.
Munobwa Factory
Munobwa factory is located in Bugaki Sub County in Kyenjojo District, 22 km from Fort Portal town.
This is one of the oldest tea estates in Uganda. In 1930’s, tea on the estate was planted by a British man by the name of William Broadhead.
Tea was manufactured until 1973, when the British and Asians were expelled by President Idi Amin. The Agricultural Enterprises Limited took over the estate and then handed over to Uganda Tea Authority who managed the estate until 1980 and handed over to the former owner William Broadhead.
In 1991 the property was sold to Mr. Gerald Saali, who started the new factory. In 1996 Rwenzori Commodities acquired the Munobwa factory from Mr. Saali’s family.
The factory was rehabilitated by installing modern CTC machines and adding new drying and sorting machines from Steelsworth and Kilburn – India.
Hima Tea Factory
Hima Factory is located at Bugaki Sub County in Kyenjojo District, 18km from Fort Portal City and 5 minutes away from Munobwa Factory. This factory was built in 1995 with two (2) CTC lines and with a Production Capacity of 40,000kg of green leaf per day. The factory was then extended to manufacture Orthodox Tea, the only one of its kind in Uganda. The factory has a production capacity of 20,000kg of green leaf per day i.e., approximately 5,000 kg made tea. The machineries have been imported from India, Sri Lanka, Japan and China. There are sixteen (16) Orthodox Rollers, six (6) Roll breakers, two (2) Ghooghis, two (2) Driers, two (2) Colour Sorters and a wide range of other sorting machines.
The following Orthodox Tea grades are manufactured at Hima factory: OPA, OP1, FP, FBOPF, PECKO, BOP, GBOP, BOPF, BOPD, FD, FANNINGS, ORL(S) and ORL (L).
As the market demand for Orthodox Tea is constantly increasing, one more line of machines has been procured and will be installed in April/May 2026. The Withering Capacity will also be increased to 40,000kg as the construction of a new Withering House is ongoing. “Two Leaves and a Bud” plucking, aiming at achieving a figure of 80% of good leaf is carried out in selected clonal tea plantations of Buzirasagama, Munobwa, Hima and Kigumba. The freshly plucked leaves are transported to the factories twice a day to keep the bloom and to eliminate/avoid discolorations or damages. Also, Hima Factory produces Green Tea Powder tea bags for local consumption and exports.
CERTIFICATES:
Buzirasagama Factory Certificates: US EAS 921:2019, US EAS 28:2019, ISO 22000:2018 and Rainforest Alliance.
Kigumba Factory Certificates: US EAS 921:2019, US EAS 28:2019 and Rainforest Alliance.
Munobwa Factory Certificates: US EAS 28:2019 and Rainforest Alliance.
Hima Factory Certificates: EAS 28:2019 UNBS Q Mark.
Summary of Our Factories
- Total Factories: 4
- Total Estates: 27
- Total Area: 4,722.54 ha
- Tea Area: 2,517.83 ha
- Production: 27,236,000 kg annually
- Employees: 3,407
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Whether you are looking for bulk orders of our high-quality black tea, refreshing green tea, or flavorful herbal infusions.
Head Office
Physical Address: Plot 9, Old Port Bell Road, Kampala
Postal Address: P.O Box 20072, Kampala.
Email: admin@mukwanotea.com
Telephone: +256 (0) 752 735 714
+256 (0) 752 735 741
Buzirasagama Tea Factory and Estates
Physical address: Busoro Sub-county, Kabarole District
Postal Address: P.O Box 167, Fort Portal
Telephone No: +256 (0) 752 735 706
E-mail: thomas@mukwanotea.com
Munobwa Tea Factory and Estates
Physical address: Bugaaki Sub-county, Kyenjojo District
Postal Address: P.O Box 900, Fort Portal.
Telephone No: +256 (0) 752 735 706
E-mail: thomas@mukwanotea.com
Kigumba Tea Factory and Estates
Physical address: Katooke Sub-county, Kyenjojo District
Postal Address: P.O Box 1026 Kyenjojo.
Telephone No: +256 (0) 752 735 706
E-mail: thomas@mukwanotea.com
Hima Tea Factory and Estates
Physical address: Bugaaki Sub County, Kyenjojo District.
Postal Address: P. O Box 900, Fort Portal, Uganda.
Telephone No: +256 (0) 752 735 706
E-mail: thomas@mukwanotea.com