No decision yet on Shimoni land - AG
Apr 23, 2009
THE Deputy Attorney General, Fred Ruhindi, yesterday said the Government had not yet decided on the 15 acres of land formerly belonging to Shimoni Demonstration School
THE Deputy Attorney General, Fred Ruhindi, yesterday said the Government had not yet decided on the 15 acres of land formerly belonging to Shimoni Demonstration School, reports Fortunate Ahimbisibwe.
Ruhindi said the Government was awaiting legal opinion from the Attorney General before taking a final decision.
“The Attorney General is still studying the file,†he said.
State minister for investment Aston Kajara last month asked the Attorney General to give a legal opinion on whether it was acceptable for Kingdom Hotels, belonging to Saudi Prince Al Waleed, to enter a joint venture with Azure Holdings.
Former investment state minister Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka on Wednesday told journalists at the Media Centre that the Government repossessed the land after Al Waleed communicated that he failed to build the planned hotel because of the global crisis.
Kiwanuka also said the Government would take steps to evict the investors who have already installed a tower crane on the site, arguing that Azure Holdings did not have the capacity for such a huge project.
“I do not know who Prof. Kiwanuka was speaking for,†Ruhindi yesterday commented.
The Solicitor General, Billy Kainamura, also refuted Kiwanuka’s claims.
Kiwanuka, now Uganda’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, said another Dubai-based investor, Al Bwardy Investments, had instead been identified to take over the land and build a five-star hotel.
Sawan Ravani, the managing director of Azure Holdings, yesterday said they would go ahead with the plans to construct a $80m (sh170b) luxury five-star hotel with a convention centre, service flats, a shopping mall and 18 to 20 conference halls.
Ruhindi said the Government was awaiting legal opinion from the Attorney General before taking a final decision.
“The Attorney General is still studying the file,†he said.
State minister for investment Aston Kajara last month asked the Attorney General to give a legal opinion on whether it was acceptable for Kingdom Hotels, belonging to Saudi Prince Al Waleed, to enter a joint venture with Azure Holdings.
Former investment state minister Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka on Wednesday told journalists at the Media Centre that the Government repossessed the land after Al Waleed communicated that he failed to build the planned hotel because of the global crisis.
Kiwanuka also said the Government would take steps to evict the investors who have already installed a tower crane on the site, arguing that Azure Holdings did not have the capacity for such a huge project.
“I do not know who Prof. Kiwanuka was speaking for,†Ruhindi yesterday commented.
The Solicitor General, Billy Kainamura, also refuted Kiwanuka’s claims.
Kiwanuka, now Uganda’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, said another Dubai-based investor, Al Bwardy Investments, had instead been identified to take over the land and build a five-star hotel.
Sawan Ravani, the managing director of Azure Holdings, yesterday said they would go ahead with the plans to construct a $80m (sh170b) luxury five-star hotel with a convention centre, service flats, a shopping mall and 18 to 20 conference halls.