The Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments have officially opened their doors in Nsambya, adding a major new landmark to Kampala’s growing skyline while expanding the city’s capacity to host international visitors, conferences and business events.
The dual-branded development was officially inaugurated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who used the occasion to call for greater emphasis on wealth creation, local production and investment as Uganda seeks to accelerate economic growth.
The development, spearheaded by Capital Shoppers Ltd in partnership with Marriott International, comprises 181 hotel guestrooms and suites and 96 fully serviced apartments.
The hotel features six restaurants and bars, wellness and business facilities, as well as 1,293 square metres of meetings and events space. Its Kampala Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 985 guests, positioning the facility as a significant addition to the capital’s conference and business tourism infrastructure.
President Museveni congratulated Capital Shoppers Chairman Ponsiano Ngabirano for transforming a small grocery business in Nakasero into a major Ugandan enterprise with investments extending into the hospitality sector.
He said Mr. Ngabirano’s journey demonstrated the kind of transformation Uganda needs—from importing finished products to supporting domestic production and creating wealth locally.
“Many of the African economies have not grown because of the mistakes of the leaders. They fail to distinguish between development and wealth,” President Museveni said.
He said Uganda’s wealth creation efforts should focus on four key sectors: commercial agriculture, services, ICT and manufacturing.
The President also welcomed investment by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in the hotel, arguing that domestic investments that generate economic activity are more beneficial to Uganda than placing workers’ savings in foreign assets.
The Marriott development is expected to strengthen Kampala’s position as a destination for business travellers, tourists and international conferences, while creating employment and opportunities for local suppliers.
The investment has already created more than 350 direct jobs, with about 95 percent of employees reportedly being Ugandan nationals. More than 120 women are employed across the two properties, while approximately 90 percent of procurement is locally sourced.
Mr. Ngabirano said the hotel currently employs about 400 people and is expected to employ more than 1,000 workers by the end of the year.
He said the project was made possible by Uganda’s peace, stability and investment environment, while thanking President Museveni, the Ministry of Finance and NSSF for their support.
NSSF has invested 30 percent in the development.
However, Mr. Ngabirano, who also presented concerns on behalf of the Uganda Hotels Association, called on the Government to review taxes affecting hotels, saying high taxes remain a challenge to the competitiveness of Uganda’s hospitality industry.
He also appealed for greater investment in specialised training facilities for hotel workers and additional land for hospitality developments, including along the Kampala-Entebbe corridor.
Marriott expands Uganda presence
The opening marks the debut of the Marriott Hotels and Marriott Executive Apartments brands in Uganda and brings Marriott International’s presence in the country to seven properties across five brands.
Johan Cronjé, Marriott International’s Regional Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the company’s expansion reflected growing confidence in Uganda’s tourism and hospitality market.
“Uganda’s tourism sector continues to demonstrate strong momentum, supported by growing visitor demand, investment and infrastructure development,” Mr. Cronjé said.
He said the new properties would increase internationally branded accommodation capacity while strengthening Kampala’s ability to host business events, conferences and international meetings.
Mr. Cronjé also said Marriott remained committed to supporting communities where it operates through initiatives including school infrastructure and other community programmes.
Government highlights investment opportunities
Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Henry Musasizi described the hotel’s opening as a vote of confidence in Uganda as an investment and tourism destination.
He said the Government provides a 10-year tax holiday for qualifying new investments, with corporate income tax applying once an investor begins making profits.
Minister Musasizi said investments in the hospitality sector contribute to the economy through tourism, employment and increased government revenue.
He also called for greater attention to skills development, noting that Uganda has a limited number of specialised training facilities for hospitality workers.
He pledged to work towards expanding training opportunities while encouraging private-sector investors to support hospitality skills development.
The minister commended Capital Shoppers Ltd for undertaking what he described as a major investment in Kampala and thanked Marriott International for partnering with the Ugandan company to establish and manage the facility to international standards.
The opening comes as Uganda’s tourism sector continues to grow. According to the Uganda Tourism Statistical Abstract 2025, the sector generated Shs5.8 trillion (US$1.62 billion) in tourism earnings in 2025, contributed an estimated 5.9 percent to national GDP and supported more than 876,000 jobs.
The Kampala Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments are also partnering with Ugandan universities, hospitality colleges and technical institutions to provide internship and training opportunities for students and future hospitality professionals.
With its scale, international branding and conference facilities, the new development adds another prominent feature to Kampala’s rapidly changing skyline while reinforcing the capital’s ambition to position itself as a regional business, tourism and events hub.
