Uganda’s commercial property and hospitality sectors are witnessing a wave of investment in modern office buildings, hotels, conference facilities and tourism destinations, with businessman Dr Sudhir Ruparelia emerging as one of the major players driving this transformation.
Through the Ruparelia Group, the entrepreneur has established a portfolio spanning Kampala’s central business district, the lakeside resort area of Munyonyo and destinations beyond the capital. Some of the developments are already attracting multinational companies, international conference organisers and tourists, while others are expected to expand the country’s accommodation and commercial property capacity.
Among the notable projects are the Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, RR Pearl Tower One on Yusuf Lule Road and the recently opened Paradise Island Resort on Lake Victoria. The group is also undertaking major expansions at Kabira Country Club and Kingdom Kampala, alongside plans for a large resort and convention facility in Entebbe.
Conference tourism gets a major boost in Munyonyo
One of the most significant developments in the portfolio is the Speke Resort Convention Centre, a Shs147 billion facility established through a partnership between the government and Meera Investments, a company owned by the Ruparelia Group.
The project was developed to provide Uganda with a modern venue capable of hosting major international gatherings. Meera Investments contributed land and technical supervision, while the government participated through the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC). Each partner holds a 50 per cent stake in Speke Resort Convention Centre Ltd.
The facility officially opened in January 2024, ahead of Uganda hosting the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit and the Third South Summit of the G77 and China.
Its main auditorium can accommodate approximately 3,800 people, making it one of the country’s major venues for large-scale conferences. The two summits, which commenced on January 15, 2024, attracted 1,918 delegates from 129 countries. Among those who attended were 16 presidents, nine vice presidents and 16 prime ministers, with the delegations arriving on commercial flights and 32 private jets.
President Yoweri Museveni subsequently recognised the contribution of Dr Ruparelia and the UPDF Engineering Brigade in delivering facilities that supported Uganda’s successful hosting of the international meetings.
Since then, the convention centre has continued to attract high-profile gatherings, including the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo and the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of Troop-Contributing Countries held in July 2026.
Its growing international profile has also been recognised through its partnership with the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and its recognition as Uganda’s Leading Conference Hotel 2026 at the World Travel Awards.
The wider Munyonyo hospitality complex provides 34 conference and exhibition venues, more than 10,000 square metres of indoor meeting space and 476 guestrooms and suites. These facilities strengthen Uganda’s ability to compete for international conferences, corporate meetings and major events.
RR Pearl Tower One attracts major corporate tenants
Away from the lakeside developments, the Ruparelia Group has also strengthened its presence in Kampala’s commercial property market through RR Pearl Tower One.
The 19-storey building, initially unveiled as Pearl Tower One on August 11, 2025, forms the first phase of the Pearl Business Park, developed on the former headquarters of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence along Yusuf Lule Road.
The tower was later renamed RR Pearl Tower One in memory of Rajiv Ruparelia, Dr Sudhir Ruparelia’s son and the group’s managing director, who died in a road accident on May 3, 2025.
With approximately 37,000 square metres of built-up space, the development includes 24,000 square metres of Grade A office accommodation and three basement parking levels with capacity for more than 360 vehicles.
Its appeal to corporate occupiers has been demonstrated by the arrival of major energy-sector companies, including TotalEnergies EP Uganda, TotalEnergies Marketing and Services Uganda and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) company, which relocated their operations to the building earlier this year.
The wider Pearl Business Park is planned as a mixed-use development incorporating a five-star hotel, shopping mall and modern hospital. Once completed, the additional facilities will broaden its role beyond office accommodation.
New investment targets Lake Victoria tourism
The group’s hospitality expansion has also reached Lake Victoria, where Paradise Island Resort opened in August 2026.
Located on a 19-acre island approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Speke Resort Munyonyo, the solar-powered eco-lodge adds another destination to Uganda’s growing leisure tourism offering.
The resort has 38 accommodation units, comprising 10 standard cottages, 11 cliff-hanger cottages, 14 two-bedroom deluxe cottages and three executive villas.
Its location and environmentally conscious design offer visitors an alternative to conventional city hotels, while adding to the range of tourism experiences available around Lake Victoria.
Kabira and Kingdom Kampala projects expand portfolio
In Bukoto, the Ruparelia Group is nearing completion of an expansion at Kabira Country Club. The development is expected to introduce a shopping mall, a luxury hotel and approximately 350 serviced apartments to the existing facility.
The additions are intended to broaden Kabira’s offering by combining hospitality, residential accommodation and retail services within one development.
In the Central Business District, work is also progressing on the second phase of Kingdom Kampala, a 21-storey tower located between Nile Avenue, Yusuf Lule Road and Dewinton Road.
The development will complement the existing Kingdom Kampala shopping mall with Grade A office space, serviced apartments, penthouses and a rooftop helipad. It will also include a luxury hotel with approximately 200 rooms.
Beyond Kampala, construction has resumed on the proposed 350-room Speke Resort and Convention Centre in Entebbe, which is expected to feature a marina. Work had been affected by a dispute that was resolved through a High Court ruling in the group’s favour in March 2026.
Growing demand supports investment in quality properties
The scale of these developments comes against a backdrop of increasing demand for modern commercial premises in Kampala.
Knight Frank Uganda’s property market review for the first half of 2026 reported that rents for Grade A office space had risen to approximately $17 per square metre, with occupancy reaching 87 per cent.
The report attributed the trend largely to businesses seeking newer and higher-quality office facilities. The relocation of TotalEnergies and EACOP to RR Pearl Tower One reflects the growing interest in modern commercial buildings.
Uganda’s hospitality industry is also presenting opportunities for further investment. Figures from the Ministry of Tourism put the country’s accommodation capacity at 350,550 rooms and 371,221 beds. The country recorded 1,274,210 international tourist arrivals in 2023, highlighting the market served by hotels, resorts and other accommodation providers.
A diverse hospitality and property portfolio
The Ruparelia Group’s hotel and accommodation interests operate under the Speke Group of Hotels, which brings together several properties across Kampala and other parts of the country.
The portfolio includes Speke Resort Munyonyo, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, Speke Resort Convention Centre, Kabira Country Club, Speke Hotel, Speke Apartments, Dolphin Suites, Tourist Hotel, Forest Cottages, Speke Resort Bujagali Falls, Bukoto Heights Apartments and Paradise Island Resort.
Taken together, the developments illustrate the group’s growing presence across commercial real estate, hospitality, conference tourism and residential accommodation.
As new projects move towards completion, the investments are expected to add more office space, hotel rooms, conference facilities and tourism infrastructure to Uganda’s property and hospitality markets.
