President Yoweri Museveni has held talks with the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) who called on him at State House, Nakasero on Monday.

The team, led by Dr. Mohan Kaul, the CBC Director General, are here to organise a business forum to precede the Commonwealth Heads of State meeting in November 2006.
Museveni and the team discussed the under-development of Africa and how best the world can tap this redundant potential, State House said in a statement.

He suggested that the theme for the meeting should be: “Using the untapped resources.”

He said there were untapped resources in both developing and developed countries. He urged leaders to focus on stimulating production and improving conditions for consumption, instead of dwelling on peripheral concerns.

Museveni said the forum will be a form of mobilisation for development, especially for African countries, so there is need for a harmonised diagnosis of problems of underdevelopment on the continent, to reach a constructive solution.

He said developing countries need to be sensitised about their resources so as to safeguard them against exploitation by foreigners and to apply the right concept of development in order to forge ahead. He cited the example of India, which developed fast as soon as they applied the right approach to development.

Kaul said India developed because the country invested heavily in technical education, which produced skilled manpower.

He said China also developed by tapping the abundant low-cost labour in their industries and urged Uganda to borrow a leaf from these two examples.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa.

By Kisibo Jackie
Uganda hotel News

The Government and private developers have assured the visiting Commonwealth secretariat team that the hotel and conference facilities for the 2007 Heads of Government meeting (CHO-GM) will be ready by December 2006.

Between $30m and $40m would be spent on the biennial meeting usually attended by one third of the world presidents and other leaders. Commonwealth Secretariat deputy Secretary General Flore-nce Mugasha who addressed a press conference with foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa said that government has been able to see the facilities, had meetings with the service providers, and are assured that the facilities will be ready.

Uganda needs at least 3,000 hotel rooms to host the summit which is preceded by meetings of Commonwealth foreign affairs ministers, the business, youth and women forums and the leaders of civil organisations.
Mugasha said the team had also been assured that the existing and new hotels would be graded. She said the hotels inspected so far pass for four and five star.

By Kisibo Jackie
Uganda hotel news

Construction of Karim Hirji’s hotel on Siad Barre Avenue and Kintu Road has resumed. This is after he submitted architectural and structural drawings and other documents to Kampala City Council (KCC).

Kampala City Council had asked for approved architectural and structural drawings, clearance from the National Environmental Management Authority, laboratory tests and hording and excavation permits. Karim submitted the drawings on Friday evening, a few hours after KCC had issued him with a notice to stop work if he did not submit the documents.
The hotel is on plots 21 A-D on Siad Barre Avenue and plots 7 and 23 Kintu Road.

The city planner, Charles Kyamanywa said that him and his architect had received the drawings, and they would study the drawings and make recommendations before the end of the week.

By Kisibo Jackie
Uganda Hotel News

SERENA confident of jULY opening date

Now seventeen months into its re-construction, the Kampala Serena Hotel is on course for a grand re-opening ceremony in late June, reports Wolfgang Thome.

The property that will host the Commonwealth Heads of State and Heads of Government Summit in 2007 has been undergoing a $30million refurbishment that will raise its status to five stars.

Room capacity has been increased from 90 to 170 suites while the former single restaurant will be replaced by three - an all day coffee shop, where breakfast, lunch and dinner can be taken in high standard but informal surroundings, while two top class restaurants will be available for fine dining for lunch and dinner.

A spa and recreation facility has been developed around the new swimming pool. While the Nairobi Serena’s Maisha Health Club and Spa is arguably the best such facility in Nairobi, word has it that the Kampala Serena will be outdoing its senior sister hotel in terms of facilities, equipment and spaciousness to provide a truly 5Star treatment even in the leisure facilities of the new hotel.

Serena has a collection of over 25 properties in their stable, amongst them award winning properties like Kirawira, Zanzibar Serena Inn, Mara Serena and others, and with the addition of the Kampala Serena the East African circuit will be completing a long held vision from the 70’s, when Serena was to become a regional hotel group.

The group’s global marketing machinery has for a while now been in full swing promoting the latest addition. The group also plans to enter the safari lodge and resort sector once the new Kampala Serena has opened.

Kingdom holdings puts faith in Uganda. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud of Saudi Arabia who controls assets worth over US$ 20 Billion and is ranked the 8th richest individual in the World by Forbes Magazine has plans to invest in 3 hotels in Uganda as well as undertaking other investments in the Country.
Alwaleed owns Kingdom Zephyr Africa Management Company whose investment wing is Kingdom Holding International.

Regionally KZAM owns the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi and the Royal Palm Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Globally Alwaleed owns substantial equity in City Group, News Corporation, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Apple Computers, E Bay, Hewlett Packard, The Walt Disney Co and other Fortune 500 Companies.

This Investment in Uganda by a key international player is seen as a vote of confidence in the Country’s potential. The investment in the tourism sector in particular will be a welcome addition to the other upcoming properties and give the discerning visitor to Uganda a choice of 5 Star facilities.

News by Roni Madhvani