Businessman Sudhir Ruparelia has been praised for investing in Uganda’s tourism industry through the construction of Paradise Island Resort, a luxury private island destination on Lake Victoria scheduled to open its doors to visitors on December 1, 2026.
The 19-acre facility, developed under the Ruparelia Group’s hospitality business, Speke Group, is expected to introduce a new experience to Uganda’s high-end hospitality industry, offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy a private island holiday without travelling abroad.
Ben Ssebuguzi, a researcher attached to the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), has praised Ruparelia for the investment, describing the resort as an important addition to Uganda’s tourism attractions and a demonstration of the country’s potential to develop world-class hospitality facilities.
In a message celebrating the development, Ssebuguzi said the project would give Ugandans and international visitors an opportunity to experience luxury tourism within the country.
“Behold, a new dawn has broken upon our Pearl of Africa. On December 1, 2026, the Ruparelia Group shall unveil to the world its most resplendent jewel yet, Paradise Island Resort, a 19-acre private island retreat nestled upon the serene bosom of the beautiful Lake Victoria,” he said.
“In simple words, this is big news for all of us. You no longer need to fly to Dubai, Maldives or Zanzibar to find paradise. Paradise is now here, at home, in Uganda,” Ssebuguzi added.
Located approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Speke Resort Munyonyo, the resort has been designed to combine luxury accommodation with the natural beauty of Lake Victoria, offering visitors privacy, relaxation and spectacular views of the lake.
The facility comprises 38 accommodation units, including 10 standard cottages, 11 cliffhanger cottages, 14 deluxe two-bedroom cottages and three executive villas. The different categories are intended to accommodate couples, families, individual travellers and corporate guests.
Ssebuguzi said the design and setting of the resort would give visitors an opportunity to enjoy the tranquillity of the lake while experiencing modern hospitality.
“Imagine this, you wake up to the gentle sound of the lake. You step onto your balcony, and before your eyes stretches the endless blue of Lake Victoria. The cottages, beautifully crafted with thatched roofs, stand elegantly on the shoreline like a crown upon the water. It is luxury, but it is also nature. It is comfort, but it is also peace,” he said.
Beyond accommodation, Paradise Island Resort is designed to serve as a destination for conferences, corporate retreats, weddings, private celebrations and family holidays, expanding its appeal beyond ordinary holidaymakers.
The development also incorporates renewable energy, with the island designed to operate entirely on solar power. Its natural vegetation, rocky formations and surrounding waters form part of the experience the developers intend to offer visitors.
The project, whose construction commenced on May 1, 2021, has been developed in phases, with the Ruparelia family playing a role in driving its completion.
The resort adds to Sudhir’s growing hospitality portfolio, which includes Speke Resort Munyonyo, Speke Hotel, Kabira Country Club, Forest Cottages, Dolphin Suites, Speke Apartments and Speke Resort Convention Centre.
Through these investments, the businessman has established a strong presence in Uganda’s hotel, leisure and conference industry, with Speke Resort Munyonyo hosting major international gatherings, including the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the 2024 Non-Aligned Movement Summit.
Paradise Island Resort is expected to complement these existing facilities by introducing a different hospitality experience centred on private island accommodation, nature and leisure.
Uganda has continued to promote its tourism potential through its wildlife, national parks, cultural heritage and natural attractions. Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake by surface area, also provides opportunities for water-based tourism, recreation and hospitality investments.
Ssebuguzi said the new development should encourage Ugandans to appreciate and support locally developed tourism destinations rather than automatically looking abroad for luxury holidays.
“We have long been blessed with beauty, with lakes, with hills, with warm people. Now we have a destination that matches that beauty with world-class hospitality. A place where every guest is treated like royalty. A place where every sunset feels like a blessing,” he said.
He added that the resort would give families, couples and business executives another option for holidays and retreats within Uganda.
“Let the message reach every village, every town, every city. Paradise is no longer far away. Paradise is here. Come home to paradise. Come and experience it with your family, your friends and your loved ones,” Ssebuguzi said.
The development is expected to strengthen Uganda’s premium tourism offering by attracting both domestic and international visitors seeking exclusive accommodation and leisure experiences.
Ssebuguzi’s message was also endorsed by Emmason Onyango, a senior NRM cadre and member of the ONC Media Desk in Bukedi sub-region.
The two praised President Yoweri Museveni’s leadership and Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, the Senior Presidential Advisor and Personal Assistant to the President, for their contribution to the country’s political and development agenda.
Paradise Island Resort is scheduled to officially open on December 1, 2026.
