Government agencies renting space from Kampala billionaire Sudhir’s massive real estate developments don’t break the law. Kira Municipality Member of Parliament Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda was a few days ago cited as proposing that government agencies shouldn’t be renting space from businessmen’s homes.
But experts and public observers claim the businessman, also one of the biggest taxpayers in the nation, who spends millions of dollars in creating up-to-date office, commercial, and residential facilities, breaches no law by soliciting rental arrangements from government agencies. In reality, majority of Mr. Ruparelia’s clientele are from the private sector.
"Government isn’t in the real estate [industry]. Sudhir is. It’s his primary business. They’ve done business for millennia. What’s the issue?" One public pundit, Allan Kassujja, stated.
Sudhir, via Meera Investments Ltd. and Crane Management Services Ltd., is one of the major estate developers in the area, with notable projects such Kingdom Kampala, Hardware City, Market Plaza, and Kampala Boulevard Building, among others.
Sudhir’s economic empire also covers hotels and the hospitality sector, floriculture, education, and schools, as well as media, insurance, currency, and banking.
The city business mogul is currently plotting the re-development of the former Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) headquarters on Yusuf Lule Road in Kampala with a multi-million-dollar massive Business Park that will host office premises, a shopping center, health and leisure amenities, among others.
According to the artistic impressions, the Pearl Business Park is an 18-acre mixed-use complex that will include a 5-star hotel, a retail center, and a modern hospital when complete. Phase one of the project, to be finished shortly, will cater to office space, while the building will have 16 lettable floors with 27,240 sq m of built-up area.