President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Sunday commissioned the construction of Hiinga Karis Medical Hospital and Karis Nursing University in Magere, Wakiso District, a private health facility that had for months been claimed by members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) to belong to their party leader, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
The multi-billion-shilling hospital, officially owned by Karis Group Ltd, is a partnership between Ugandan investors and development partners under the Hiinga Karis initiative. It sits on three acres of land in Magere, the same neighbourhood where Bobi Wine resides a coincidence that fuelled online claims that the opposition leader was behind the project.
In his remarks at the commissioning ceremony, President Museveni commended the developers for what he called “a visionary private-sector investment in health care and human resource development.”
“When the private sector invests in health, it helps government to reach more people faster. This project will create jobs, train professionals and improve access to specialised services,” Museveni said.
The hospital will have a 125-bed capacity, four delivery suites, modern surgical theatres, an 18-bed Intensive Care Unit, MRI and X-ray facilities, and will employ more than 1,000 medical professionals once complete.
The adjoining Karis Nursing University will train nurses and health workers for Uganda and the international market.
Claims
Before the commissioning, several NUP supporters had taken to social media asserting that Bobi Wine was behind the development, sharing photos of the site and branding it “Magere Hospital.” Among those pictured at the site was Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Muwanda Nkunyingi, a senior NUP figure, who lauded what he called “a people-driven initiative in Magere.”
Posts circulating on X (formerly Twitter) celebrated the project as “Bobi Wine’s hospital for the people,” drawing thousands of engagements from supporters who hailed it as evidence of the opposition leader’s commitment to community welfare.
However, official records and the project’s management have clarified that the facility is privately owned by Hiinga Karis Group, chaired by Mr. Ikiriza Davis. Speaking at the event, Ikiriza emphasized that the project “is not political” and aims to “unite Ugandans through service, not divide them through affiliations.”
“This hospital belongs to the people of Uganda, not to any political group. We chose Magere simply because of its accessibility and growing population,” Ikiriza said.
Clarifying
Documents from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau list Karis Group Ltd as a private company with Ugandan shareholders, not affiliated with the National Unity Platform or Robert Kyagulanyi.
The project is financed through a combination of private equity and development funding, under the Hiinga Karis partnership.
President Museveni welcomed the clarification, saying government supports “all patriotic Ugandans investing in their country regardless of political beliefs,” but warned against “falsehoods used to confuse the public.”
Construction is expected to be completed in 2026, with the hospital projected to serve thousands from Gayaza, Kasangati, and surrounding communities. The project adds to Uganda’s growing list of private-sector health investments, complementing government hospitals and creating jobs for health professionals.
