By Wakibi Iddi
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called for greater emphasis on wealth creation, local production and investment as Uganda seeks to accelerate economic transformation.
The President made the call on Thursday while officiating at the grand inauguration and key handover ceremony of the Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments in Nsambya, Makindye Division, and Kampala.
President Museveni said African countries must move beyond measuring development mainly through infrastructure and place greater emphasis on creating wealth through productive economic activity.
“Many of the African economies have not grown because of the mistakes of the leaders. They fail to distinguish between development and wealth,” President Museveni said.
He identified commercial agriculture, services, ICT and manufacturing as the four key sectors that should drive wealth creation in Uganda, while encouraging investors to progressively shift from importing finished products to supporting domestic production.
The President cited the business journey of Capital Shoppers Ltd Chairman, Mr. Ponsiano Ngabirano, as an example of this transition. Mr. Ngabirano started with a small grocery business in Nakasero before expanding into supermarkets and, ultimately, the hospitality industry through the Marriott-branded development.
“I want to congratulate Mr. Ngabirano, from being an importer to now an internal distributor,” President Museveni said, commending the entrepreneur for increasingly supporting locally produced goods.
He also welcomed the National Social Security Fund’s investment in the hotel, saying such domestic investments can contribute directly to Uganda’s economy.
“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 Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments comprise 181 hotel guestrooms and suites and 96 fully serviced apartments. The development features six restaurants and bars, wellness and business facilities, and 1,293 square metres of meetings and events space, including the Kampala Grand Ballroom.
The investment has created more than 350 direct jobs, with about 95 per cent of employees being Ugandan nationals. Approximately 90 per cent of procurement is also locally sourced, creating opportunities for Ugandan suppliers and businesses.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, described the project as a vote of confidence in Uganda’s investment and tourism potential.
“Establishing such an investment in Uganda shows a vote of confidence in Uganda,” Minister Musasizi said.
He noted that qualifying new investments benefit from a 10-year tax holiday and said investments in the hospitality sector contribute to tourism, employment and Government revenue.
Minister Musasizi also called for greater investment in specialised hospitality training to equip Ugandans with the skills required by the growing industry.
Marriott International Regional Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. Johan Cronje, said the company remained committed to Uganda and to supporting communities where it operates.
“Uganda’s tourism sector continues to demonstrate strong momentum, supported by growing visitor demand, investment and infrastructure development,” Mr. Cronje said.
Mr. Ngabirano thanked President Museveni for supporting an environment in which Ugandan businesses could grow, describing the Marriott development as a product of Uganda’s peace and stability.
“What started as a small grocery in Nakasero turned into a supermarket, and now we are opening a big franchise. It was because of your clean leadership, Your Excellency,” he said.
He nevertheless appealed to Government to review taxes affecting hotels and increase investment in hospitality training to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness.
The opening marks the debut of the Marriott Hotels and Marriott Executive Apartments brands in Uganda and expands Marriott International’s presence in the country to seven properties across five brands.
The investment is expected to strengthen Uganda’s hospitality and tourism sector while creating jobs, supporting local suppliers and demonstrating how private enterprise can contribute to the broader national objective of wealth creation and sustainable economic transformation.