President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called for greater emphasis on wealth creation and national production, saying African countries have remained economically constrained partly because of the failure by leaders to distinguish between development and wealth creation.
The President made the remarks today while officiating at the grand inauguration and key handover ceremony of the Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments Kampala in Nsambya, Makindye Division, Kampala.
President Museveni congratulated the Chairman of Capital Shoppers Ltd , Mr. Ponsiano Ngabirano, for transforming what started as a small grocery business in Nakasero into a major investment that has now expanded into the hospitality industry through the Marriott-branded development.
He cited Mr. Ngabirano’s business journey as an example of the transition Uganda needs—from dependence on imports to increased national production.
“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 explained that while 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.
President Museveni commended Mr. Ngabirano for starting as an importer of milk at a time when Uganda did not have sufficient local production and eventually transitioning into a distributor of locally produced milk.
“I want to congratulate Mr. Ngabirano, from being an importer to now an internal distributor,” he said, describing the transition as a positive shift from importing to supporting national production.
The President also cited Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote as another example of an entrepreneur who started by importing cement before developing into a major manufacturer and later expanding into the petroleum industry.
“Importers, provided you are clear with our strategy, you will progress well,” President Museveni said.
He said Uganda should continue encouraging investors to move from importing finished products to manufacturing them locally, noting that this would create jobs, expand the tax base and contribute to the growth of the national economy.
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 Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala for recognising the value of the investors and making land available for the development of the project.
He welcomed Marriott International’s decision to expand its presence in Uganda, noting that Africa’s rapidly growing population presents significant opportunities for investors in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
“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.
Marriott investment expands Uganda’s hospitality sector:
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 the Kampala Grand Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 985 guests.
The investment has already created more than 350 direct employment opportunities, with approximately 95 percent of employees being Ugandan nationals. More than 120 women are employed across the two properties, while about 90 percent of procurement is locally sourced, supporting Ugandan businesses and suppliers.
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.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, described the opening of the Marriott Hotel as a testament to Uganda’s growing position as an investment and tourism destination.
Minister Musasizi said the Government provides a 10-year tax holiday for qualifying new investments, clarifying that corporate income tax applies once an investor begins making profits.
He said investments such as the Marriott Hotel contribute to Uganda’s economy through tourism, employment and increased revenue.
The Minister noted that the hotel and serviced apartments, with more than 250 accommodation units combined, would contribute significantly to tourism and job creation.
He also identified skills development as an important area requiring greater attention in the hospitality industry.
Minister Musasizi said he was concerned about the limited number of specialised training facilities for hotel workers and pledged to work towards establishing more training opportunities, while encouraging private-sector investors to invest in hospitality training.
He commended Capital Shoppers Ltd, under the leadership of Mr. Ngabirano, for undertaking what he described as a major investment contributing to the transformation of Kampala.
He also thanked Marriott International for partnering with Capital Shoppers Ltd to establish and manage the facility according to international standards.
“Establishing such an investment in Uganda shows a vote of confidence in Uganda,” Minister Musasizi said, calling on more investors to consider Uganda as an investment destination.
Marriott pledges community support:
The Regional Vice President of Marriott International for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. 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.
Mr. Cronjé said Marriott’s philosophy is centred on caring for people, noting that the company is also committed to giving back to communities where it operates, including supporting school infrastructure and other community initiatives.
He attributed the successful opening of the Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments to the partnership between the different stakeholders.
“Uganda’s tourism sector continues to demonstrate strong momentum, supported by growing visitor demand, investment and infrastructure development,” Mr. Cronjé said.
He added that the new development expands internationally branded hospitality capacity in Uganda, creates employment opportunities and strengthens Kampala’s ability to host business events, conferences and international meetings.
On his part, Mr. Ngabirano thanked President Museveni for officiating at the opening, describing the hotel as a product of Uganda’s peace, stability and conducive investment environment.
He credited President Museveni with creating an environment in which Ugandan businesses could grow.
“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,” Mr. 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.
Mr. Ngabirano also commended the President and the Ministry of Finance for their support during the construction of the project and thanked NSSF for investing 30 percent 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, Mr. Ngabirano appealed to the Government to review taxes affecting hotels to enable the industry to become more competitive.
He also called for increased investment in training facilities for hospitality workers, noting the need to develop a skilled workforce to support the sector.
Mr. Ngabirano further appealed for more land for hotel development and asked President Museveni to consider allocating land along the Kampala-Entebbe corridor for additional hospitality investments.
He said approximately 97 percent of the people employed at the Marriott are Ugandans, further demonstrating the contribution of the investment to local employment.
The opening of the Kampala Marriott Hotel comes as Uganda’s tourism industry continues to expand.
According to the Uganda Tourism Statistical Abstract 2025, the sector generated Shs5.8 trillion (US$1.62 billion) in tourism earnings in 2025, contributed an estimated 5.9 percent to national GDP and supported more than 876,000 jobs.
The two properties are also working with Ugandan universities, hospitality colleges and technical institutions to provide internship and training opportunities for future hospitality professionals.
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