The Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, October 31, 2016, at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The chief guest was former UHOA Chairman and new Attorney General Mr. William Byaruhanga.
In her presentation to the AGM, Chairperson Mrs. Susan Muhwezi briefed members on the successes of UHOA since they last took office, including raising membership to over 450 member hotels. She also highlighted the major challenges still affecting the hotel sector, notably the low-occupancy rates, high taxes, and bad roads in the tourism destination areas, as well as lack of human resources in the sector.
The Attorney General thanked the UHOA Board for the successes achieved since UHOA was started in May 2000. He pledged to use his good office to continue to lobby government on some of the challenges raised by the hoteliers, particularly in regards to VAT tax exemption on upcountry hotels. The AG handed out awards to the outgoing Board. Recognition awards were also handed to Mr. Tom Katsyamira for his commitment to UHOA, as well as Mr. Johnson Okili who is the longest serving General Manager in UHOA having served 24 years at Lake View Hotel Mbarara.
A new Board was voted into office, with Chairperson Mrs. Muhwezi re-elected unopposed for another 2-year term at the helm of UHOA. New faces on the Board include, among others, Mr. Boniface Byamukama as Vice Chairperson, Mr. Tom Katsyamira and Mr. Gary Segal for Western Uganda and Mr. Daudi Migereko Jr. as Eastern Region Representative.
UHOA also launched the UHOA HIV/AIDS Resource Guide for the hotel staff in Uganda. The Resource guide is meant to guide the hotel staff on how to address the issue of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The Resource Guide was funded by ILO which was represented by ILO National Coordinator Mr. David Mawejje, the National and FUE’s George Tamale. The booklet was launched by the UHOA Chairperson, Mrs. Susan Muhwezi.
UHOA is the only trade association for the hotel sector in Uganda. Established in May 2000, UHOA has over 450 member hotels under the association. It was founded by Mr. Hajji B.M Kibirige of Hotel Africana. The Secretariat is headed by CEO Ms. Jean Byamugisha under the leadership and guidance of the UHOA Board.
