Museveni to inspect NAM summit venues

President Museveni is expected to visit different venues slated to host the Non Aligned Movement (NAM)-G77 summits, scheduled for January next year. 

With just two months to go, government is putting final touches on key infrastructure, hotels to host officials from more than 100 countries

Uganda will host the 19th NAM from January 15 to 23, and third South Summit from January 21 to 24, 2024 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo

The Senior Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Sandor Walusimbi, confirmed the President’s imminent tour but did not specify the dates.  He added that it is only prudent that President Museveni, as host and chief guest, assesses the sites. 

“He is expected to…it is only proper that the President has a tour to make sure that the works are on course, to see what challenges we are faced with,” Mr Walusimbi said.

Government has invested Shs66 billion to host the summit that brings together 120 countries that are not aligned to any of the rival eastern and western power blocs. It is the leaders of these countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, with observer China and Russia expected early next year.

On Tuesday, Ms Lucy Nakyobe, the summit chief organiser, told journalists the country was ready to host both summits.

Top among the sites President Museveni could visit is the Multipurpose Convention Center at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. The government in February last year entered a joint venture plan with businessman Sudhir Ruparelia to construct the modern convention center, with facilities including a 4,400-seater auditorium, a multipurpose hall, high-end conference meeting rooms, and a floating restaurant with the capacity to accommodate over 900 guests,

Construction was initially predicted to take 18 months, meaning it should have been ready by August. Sources close to the organising committee, however, blamed the delay on late release of the funds by officials in the Ministry of Finance.   

Ms Nakyobe said the country is ready for the summit and the completion of the convention center is currently at 85 percent.  President Museveni could also visit other hotels expected to accommodate guests, and have a tour of the roads the VIPs will travel.

With a number of roads in the city in a sorry state, Ms Nakyobe said repairs and maintenance are in progress.

Since plans for Uganda to host the summit commenced, President Museveni has been invested, with sources saying, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of scandals that have rocked past similar high-profile gatherings.

 A case in point of his keen interest was naming Ms Nakyobe, former State House Comptroller,  to head the executive organising committee, to work alongside the National Organising Committee headed by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. Ms Nakyobe’s main task was to ensure smooth coordination across agencies, and streamline budgets.