State House renovations complete
Oct 23, 2007
THE reconstruction of State House Entebbe has been completed just in time for the Commonwealth Summit next month. The multi-billion project, carried out by a Chinese company, will be commissioned on November 10.
By Apollo Mubiru
THE reconstruction of State House Entebbe has been completed just in time for the Commonwealth Summit next month. The multi-billion project, carried out by a Chinese company, will be commissioned on November 10.
“The contractors are expected to hand over the building to the Government at the end of this month. By October 31, all works will have been completed,†the project manager, Henry Kazahuura, told MPs on the CHOGM committee. The renovation of State House kicked off in 2004 and has cost the Government over $54m (about sh91b).
Kazahuura yesterday led MPs on a four-hour tour of the magnificent building, which has a beautiful view of the airport and Lake Victoria. The facility has a ceremonial hall, the President’s office in the left wing and a residential wing on the right.
The main reception hall has a capacity of 500 guests. There is a main lounge, a banquet hall, where the queen is expected to hold a ceremony, and a big kitchen, which will provide five-star hotel services.
The left wing contains offices for presidential advisers, secretaries, a Cabinet library, a Cabinet meeting hall, a press room and the President’s study room. The residential wing has a health centre with sauna, massage and steam-bath facilities, an operating theatre and five presidential suites. The balcony of the Master bedroom overlooks the green forests on the shores of Lake Victoria.
The building is surrounded by beautiful flower gardens, two fish ponds, a public parking yard, a communication house for drivers, a screening house, a fountain and a gazebo.
“This is magnificent and really befits a head of state,†Kabarole Woman MP, Margaret Muhanga, commented.
“That is why presidents would die to be in State House,†Pallisa MP Louise Opange retorted.
After the tour, committee chairperson Onyango Kakoba said they were impressed with the progress of the work. The new building replaces the old State House, which existed from the colonial period up to the time the NRM took power. It became dilapidated and the President shifted to State Lodge Nakasero, paving way for the renovations.
THE reconstruction of State House Entebbe has been completed just in time for the Commonwealth Summit next month. The multi-billion project, carried out by a Chinese company, will be commissioned on November 10.
“The contractors are expected to hand over the building to the Government at the end of this month. By October 31, all works will have been completed,†the project manager, Henry Kazahuura, told MPs on the CHOGM committee. The renovation of State House kicked off in 2004 and has cost the Government over $54m (about sh91b).
Kazahuura yesterday led MPs on a four-hour tour of the magnificent building, which has a beautiful view of the airport and Lake Victoria. The facility has a ceremonial hall, the President’s office in the left wing and a residential wing on the right.
The main reception hall has a capacity of 500 guests. There is a main lounge, a banquet hall, where the queen is expected to hold a ceremony, and a big kitchen, which will provide five-star hotel services.
The left wing contains offices for presidential advisers, secretaries, a Cabinet library, a Cabinet meeting hall, a press room and the President’s study room. The residential wing has a health centre with sauna, massage and steam-bath facilities, an operating theatre and five presidential suites. The balcony of the Master bedroom overlooks the green forests on the shores of Lake Victoria.
The building is surrounded by beautiful flower gardens, two fish ponds, a public parking yard, a communication house for drivers, a screening house, a fountain and a gazebo.
“This is magnificent and really befits a head of state,†Kabarole Woman MP, Margaret Muhanga, commented.
“That is why presidents would die to be in State House,†Pallisa MP Louise Opange retorted.
After the tour, committee chairperson Onyango Kakoba said they were impressed with the progress of the work. The new building replaces the old State House, which existed from the colonial period up to the time the NRM took power. It became dilapidated and the President shifted to State Lodge Nakasero, paving way for the renovations.