Nema approves Sudhir’s  $100m project with conditions

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has given Speke Hotel (1996) Limited, a subsidiary of Ruparelia Group of Companies, the green light to set up a multibillion hotel  at Kitubulu bay near Entebbe Town.

The project estimated at $100m (Shs384b), will have a convention centre, restaurants and marina, among other facilities.

 In a July 28 statement, Nema said both parties had agreed on measures for sustainable implementation of the project.

“...This followed the conclusion to Nema’s satisfaction of the project design review and adjustments by the developer under the guidance of Nema, to address all issues that would compromise the integrity of Lake Victoria and the surrounding environment,” the statement reads in part

 According to Nema, they have endorsed the developer’s revised masterplan after the latter agreed to review and make readjustments in the project design to secure the lake from any potential negative impacts of the project.

However, the environmental watchdog said the developer will implement the project while following certain conditions. Among the conditions, the developer is barred from erecting permanent structures within 20 metres of the waterline to protect the shoreline from potential siltation.

 “There shall be no dumping of soil or other waste whatsoever into the lake during construction phase and implementation phase. All waste must be treated on site in a cyclical manner. There will be no waste discharged into the lake even after treatment of effluent,” Nema statement further states.

The developer is also required to relocate the water treatment plant farther in tandem with the coordinates provided by Nema and residents have to continue accessing the beachside of the Resort.

Furthermore, Speke Hotel (1996) Limited is supposed to  install beach/shore line protection gabions before construction to prevent soil and debris from being deposited into the lake by surface water runoff during the construction phase under technical guidance of the Directorate of Water Resources.

There will also be no dredging of the lake under the first phase of the construction. The Marina establishment phase will undertake more in-depth studies to guide any decisions in that respect.

Nema further directs that the land taken up by increasing water levels remains protected as part of the lake and no reclamation of the same should be done.

“Such land can be used as a beach area in case of water recession and no infrastructure should be established in such area since it is needed for water fluctuation movements,” the statement adds

Nema had earlier in 2020 issued an Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Certificate to the developer, but insists that it is mandatory he first obtains a Lake Shore User Permit since the proposed project is within the 200-metre buffer zone of a lake.

Background

The proposed site for the multibillion hotel used to house the former Ssese Gateway Beach.

In December 2021, Nema halted activities at the site after contractors were found dumping murrum into the lake with the intention to recover the original project area that had been taken up by rising water levels. Nema has since had several engagements with the developer, including a site inspection, to guide the developer on how best to sustainably undertake the project without compromising the ecological integrity of Lake Victoria. The developer has since desilted part of the lake where murrum had been dumped.

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