Hotel Africana celebrates 9 years
Nine years ago, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned Hotel Africana, where he gave tips to proprietor Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (BMK) on how to best manage the hotel.
Nine years ago, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned Hotel Africana, where he gave tips to proprietor Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (BMK) on how to best manage the hotel.
On Friday, the president was back to commission the multi million dollar 3,500 seater Africana Conference Hall. To say he was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.
The vernacular speaking president, went out of his way heaping the hotel owner with praises. Kibirige actually blushed!
“You people keep saying that poverty is in the bones and it is incurable. There is nothing like that. Just look at my friend BMK. He knows what to do. Here is one man employing 350 people. Imagine we If we had 1,000 people like him, how many jobs would there be?†a jovial Museveni pondered.
Museveni took time to laugh at Ugandans who have since developed jitters because prime city land is being allocated to foreign investors.
“We shouldn’t develop fear for foreigners. In Africa when a foreigner visits, he has come to pay loyalty. Among the Baganda, he is even christened omusajja wa kabaka (The king’s man). What problem would we have if we allocated them land to construct 13-storey hotels rather than cultivate potatoes?†he asked.
He defended the tax exemption to hoteliers as a well thought out policy saying taxes to hoteliers would only scare away potential investors. “It is consumers like these abatamiivu (drunkards) and fun lovers who will pay the tax. Next financial year, we shall extend such exemptions to other sectors so that the consumers pay the tax.â€
The president handed over certificates to excellent staff and then there was a photo opportunity.
A giant cake in the shape of the hotel plus entertainment from Nyonza cultural troupe and the police brass band, and the invited guests did justice to the chicken wings and fish fingers.
Ends
On Friday, the president was back to commission the multi million dollar 3,500 seater Africana Conference Hall. To say he was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.
The vernacular speaking president, went out of his way heaping the hotel owner with praises. Kibirige actually blushed!
“You people keep saying that poverty is in the bones and it is incurable. There is nothing like that. Just look at my friend BMK. He knows what to do. Here is one man employing 350 people. Imagine we If we had 1,000 people like him, how many jobs would there be?†a jovial Museveni pondered.
Museveni took time to laugh at Ugandans who have since developed jitters because prime city land is being allocated to foreign investors.
“We shouldn’t develop fear for foreigners. In Africa when a foreigner visits, he has come to pay loyalty. Among the Baganda, he is even christened omusajja wa kabaka (The king’s man). What problem would we have if we allocated them land to construct 13-storey hotels rather than cultivate potatoes?†he asked.
He defended the tax exemption to hoteliers as a well thought out policy saying taxes to hoteliers would only scare away potential investors. “It is consumers like these abatamiivu (drunkards) and fun lovers who will pay the tax. Next financial year, we shall extend such exemptions to other sectors so that the consumers pay the tax.â€
The president handed over certificates to excellent staff and then there was a photo opportunity.
A giant cake in the shape of the hotel plus entertainment from Nyonza cultural troupe and the police brass band, and the invited guests did justice to the chicken wings and fish fingers.
Ends