With structural works at 64%, Speke Resort Convention Centre sitting on the shores of Lake Victoria at Munyonyo will be the biggest in East Africa, accommodating over 4000 people.
The $47 million project will have state of the art functioning facilities run by the latest technology.
Rajiv Ruparelia, the managing director of Ruparelia Group- a co-developer of the project said the timber alone used in the construction has cost $500,000.
Once completed the auditorium alone can house two events concurrently without interruption courtesy of a folding soundproof wall which will be installed very soon.
The convention center will also have a multipurpose hall, 12 high-end conference/breakaway meeting rooms and a floating restaurant that can host more than 900 guests.
What comes with this Multibillion project?
Firstly, this is one of it’s kind convention center in East Africa, the biggest and more modernized.
Secondly, the project has already provided 1000 jobs to people working at the construction site in Munyonyo. Notably, engineers, builders, casual labourers, cooks, plumbers, among others.
Sudhir is among the few investors who employs mostly Ugandans.
Doubling as the chairman of the Ruparelia Group, Sudhir told journalists on Tuesday during a media tour at Munyonyo that the convention center indirectly impacts on 5000 people who are beneficiaries and with uncountable number of dependants.
During the tour, journalists noticed that some of the mini-halls have been named after Uganda’s natural tourist attractions like Bwindi Forest, Mount Elgon, River Katonga, Mount Rwenzori and among others.
Sudhir said the motive of naming these halls is to promote tourism which brings foreign exchange into the economy.
The first key meetings to be hosted at the world-class facility, include the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit and the G77 South Summits to be held in January 2024 in Kampala, Uganda.
Rajiv Ruparelia, said that apart from hosting the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77 South Summits, the Speke Resort and Convention Centre will enhance Uganda’s competitiveness in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) potential and competitiveness.
“This Convention Centre is certainly a much-needed and strategic addition to Uganda’s profile as a competitive destination for key meetings, conferences and trade exhibitions in the region and on the continent. The two summits will be crucial to enhancing and marketing that potential,” Rajiv said.
The project is jointly being developed by the Ruparelia Group and the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC). UDC is the investing arm of the Government of Uganda whose mission is to establish and or invest in sustainable investments in areas strategic to Uganda’s social and economic transformation, and prosperity.