BBC journalist who presents BBC Newsday Alan Kasujja has laughed at Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssdmujju’s assertion that government pays Shs97 million every day to Kampala mongul Sudhir Ruparelia for office space on some his buildings in Kampala.
Sudhir runs various companies under the Ruparelia Group of Companies and one of them, Meera Investments deals in construction of rental buildings and executive office space. One of the buildings is Kingdom Kampala.
According to Kasujja, Sudhir does his real business well and does not see why Ssemujju should is concerned about the businessman legally hiring office space to government. Sudhir also rents his properties to the private sector at reasonable rental fees.
Kasujja avers: “I don’t have cows. Pius does. We discuss. Agree terms. By the way Pius has a reputation as a very serious meat fella. That’s his business. He knows everything about meat. We’ve done business before and he’s as good as I can find. GoU isn’t in real estate. Sudhir is. It’s his core business. They’ve done business for ages. What’s the issue?”
However, Government is in the business of constructing permanent homes for its various MDAs most recent being PPDA, URF, URA, OAG, UCC, ERA, PAU, NMS, MoFPED (under construction).
Ssemujju, in an interview with journalists’ days ago said government of Uganda pays the businessman up to Shs600,000 every minute for government to rent some of his buildings, claiming further that the same government offered free Shimoni, CMI and other land to the businessman to develop. However, Shimoni land was first given out to another investor to construct a hotel as the country was gearing up for Chogm but the investor never responded on time before it was sold to Sudhir. For CMI land, the businessman in exchange, bought land and constructed the military spy agency a home on Mbuya hill.
In a statement, Ssemujju said, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs gives Sudhir Ruparelia Shs450m monthly in rent.
The Ministry of ICT gives the same businessman Shs320m in rent, the Ministry of Gender at Simbamanyo pays Shs250m monthly, the Anti-Corruption court in Kololo gives Sudhir Shs180m per month. Among other government agencies and departments.
This, according to Ssemujju is exclusive of the amount of money government of Uganda pays to the businessman for hosting different conferences at his hotels including Speke and Commonwealth Resorts in Munyonyo. However, this is not illegal as Sudhir has to offer services to the guests.
Ssemujju said, the President now needs to tell the country what is so special with Sudhir the businessman, “And how does Sudhir sniff these opportunities from government.” This, statement, according to a member of parliament is malicious since there is a process through which government hires office space for its departments.
