Court Slams Gumboots Manufacturer Over Cheap Knockoffs

The High Court Commercial Division has ordered Rida International Industry (U) Limited to pay its rival Migoo Industrial and Trading Company (U) Limited Shs16.768 billion. Justice Stephen Mubiru ruled that Rida deliberately copied Migoo’s signature gumboot design and tricked customers. Shs12.768 billion in special damages: Covers actual financial losses from 2017 to September 2021, when Migoo was forced to slash its prices from Shs10,500 down to Shs7,000 to fight off Rida’s cheap knockoffs. This amount attracts a 15% annual interest rate starting from May 3, 2019. Shs4 billion in general damages: Compensates Migoo for severe harm to its reputation, lost goodwill, and ongoing business damage. This amount attracts a 6% annual interest rate from the date of judgment. Rida initially stamped a visible logo on its gumboots to tell them apart, but later stripped the branding off to make them look identical to Migoo’s. Distributor Aida Ndagire testified that customers regularly bought Rida gumboots thinking they were Migoo originals, only to return them later upon noticing the quality gap. In a twist, Justice Mubiru revoked the industrial design registrations of both Rida and Migoo, ruling that the basic gumboot shape wasn't unique enough to be monopolized. However, the judge stressed that passing off (deceiving the public) is a separate legal violation—meaning Rida still had to pay up. The court dismissed Rida’s demand for Shs1.5 billion over a 2019 police raid at its factory, noting that Migoo merely reported a crime and police acted independently. Rida is permanently barred from manufacturing, selling, or distributing gumboots that mimic Migoo's look, and has been ordered to pay the legal costs for both sides.