Museveni emphasises creation of wealth, opens Kampala Marriott

KAMPALA - African countries have remained economically constrained because of the failure by leaders to distinguish between development and wealth creation, President Yoweri Museveni has said.

The President made the remarks August 27, while presiding over the opening of the Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments in Nsambya, a Kampala suburb.

He explained that whereas development is often associated with infrastructure such as roads, sustainable development must be supported by wealth creation.

According to the President, wealth creation in Uganda should be driven by four key sectors: commercial agriculture, services, ICT and manufacturing. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

“Many of the African economies have not grown because of the mistakes of the leaders. They fail to distinguish between development and wealth,” Museveni said.

According to the President, wealth creation in Uganda should be driven by four key sectors: commercial agriculture, services, ICT and manufacturing.

The President commended the hotel’s proprietor, Ponsiano Ngabirano, for improving the hospitality sector.

Ngabirano is also the proprietor of Capital Shoppers, a supermarket chain in Kampala. Museveni said Ngabirano started as a milk importer, but eventually expanded to become a distributor of locally produced milk.

He described Ngabirano’s business journey as an example of the transition Uganda needs — from dependence on imports to increased national production.

The President said Uganda should continue encouraging investors to shift from importing finished products to manufacturing them locally, noting that this would create jobs and expand the tax base.

President Museveni also welcomed the decision by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to invest in the hotel, saying such investments are more beneficial to Uganda’s economy than investing workers’ savings in foreign bonds.

“I am also glad to hear that NSSF has woken up and invested in this hotel, instead of investing that money in foreign bonds which do not add anything to our GDP,” he said.

The President further congratulated Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala for recognising the value of the investors and making land available for the project. He welcomed Marriott International’s decision to expand its presence in Uganda.

“I am very glad to see that Marriott is beginning to see where the market potential is, because the African population is growing rapidly,” he said.

The Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments Kampala comprise a dual-branded hospitality development, featuring 181 hotel guestrooms and suites and 96 fully serviced apartments.

The hotel has six restaurants and bars, wellness and business facilities, and 1,293 square metres of meetings and events space, including a grand ballroom, which can accommodate up to 985 guests.

Speaking during the ceremony, finance minister Henry Musasizi described the opening of the Marriott Hotel as a testament to Uganda’s growing position as an investment and tourism destination.

Musasizi, however, expressed concern about the limited number of specialised training facilities for hotel workers in Uganda and pledged to work towards improving the situation.

Marriott leaders speak  

The regional vice-president of Marriott International for sub-Saharan Africa, Johan Cronjé, said Marriott had witnessed tremendous growth since establishing its presence in Kampala.

He commended the Government of Uganda for its commitment to promoting tourism and the hospitality industry.

Cronjé attributed the successful opening of the Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments to the partnership between the different stakeholders.

Marriott boss speaks out 

Ngabirano thanked President Museveni for officiating at the opening, describing the hotel as a product of Uganda’s peace, stability and conducive investment environment.

“What started as a small grocery in Nakasero [Kampala] turned into a supermarket, and now we are opening a big franchise. It was because of your clean leadership, Your Excellency,” Ngabirano said.

He said the hotel currently employs about 400 people and is expected to employ more than 1,000 people by the end of the year.

Ngabirano also commended the President and the finance ministry for supporting the project and thanked NSSF for investing 30% in the development.

However, he raised concerns about what he described as high taxes imposed on hotels, saying the issue remains one of the challenges affecting Uganda’s hospitality industry.

Presenting the concerns on behalf of the Uganda Hotels Association, Ngabirano appealed to the Government to review taxes in the hospitality industry. He said approximately 97% of the people employed at the Marriott are Ugandans.

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