Serena Group to Open Kampala Branch

By Godfrey Tung'wet Posted 27 July 2006 @ 04:39 pm EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

NAIROBI (IBTimes.com) - Serena Group has consolidated its presence in the East African market with the planned opening of $26 million hotel in Kampala, Uganda.

The new facility — Kampala Serena Hotel is the latest addition of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), the principal shareholders of the Serena Group.

The artistic hotel, which opens its doors next week, is billed to set higher standards in the region’s emerging hospitality industry.

Prince Amyn Aga Khan, Chairman of AKFED, reckons that the project would help Serena group expand its safari and leisure circuit in East Africa. He said the new investment would also help drive development of Uganda’s emerging tourism sector.

The investment follows recent acquisition by Serena Group of former Uganda Government owned Nile Hotel on a 30-year concession.

"The objective from the outset was to create the finest facility in the region," Peter Mbogua, Serena Hotel sales and marketing director told travel agents and journalists touring the facility.

"Serena Group can confidently claim to be the leading hospitality provider in East Africa as it has properties in Kenya, Tanzania and now in Uganda," said Mbogua.

The facility boosts of 152 superbly appointed room and luxurious suites, the Pearl of Africa restaurant, The Mists cocktail bar, the Explorers Bistro, the Lakes’ restaurant, Maisha Health Club and state-of-the-art Kampala Serena conference centre.

The new facility will directly employ about 136 people. "This is just the type of investment that Uganda needs to spur its burgeoning tourism sector and attract other investors," said Prof Peter Kasenene, Uganda’s Minister of State for Privatisation.

The Serena Hotels East Africa is the region’s leading hoteliers. The Group has been in Africa since the early 1970s and operates 22 hotels, resorts and safari lodges in Kenya, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Uganda, Mozambique, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.