Jinja council halts Shs2.5b source of Nile devt project

Jinja Municipal Council has halted a proposal by Nile Breweries Limited to invest Shs2.5 billion in the development of Source of the Nile RiverTourism Site. Nile Breweries was set to commence on the development programme last year with a proposal to be sinking in Shs500 million per year for five years.

It was agreed that the council only allows the company to use the site for advertising its products after developing the site to international standards with modern structures and leisure parks.

However, the Jinja Mayor, Mr Baswari Muhammad Kezaala, while presiding over the Tourism Day celebrations for Crested Crane Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, last Friday said the council acted on orders of government which asked them to halt the project, pending a verified physical plan.

“All developments at the Source of the Nile River Tourism Site, including the one for Nile Breweries proposal have been stopped until the consultants assigned by government come up with a physical plan and give the feedback,” Mr Kezaala said.

He added that there was, however, no guarantee that Nile Breweries will be given a go -head to invest the Shs2.5 billion in the developments at this site.

The head of corporate affairs at Nile Breweries, Ms Sumim Namaganda, could not answer our repeated calls when contacted while the company’s head of development, Mr Mayanja Omugalanda’s number was switched off.

The institute principal Ms Namutosi Amoli said the tourism day celebrations at the institute have made annual in an effort to create tourism awareness in the area with silent tourist attraction sites.

By Bruce Amp