Uganda’s President Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni has directed Frank Kagyigyi Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, to give Turkish investors 15 acres of land where a private hospital will be constructed.
The Turkish investors who want to construct a modern hospital belong to the Beyler Group. The investors met Museveni at State House in Entebbe weeks ago. Led by Dr Hulusi Sogutlu, the six officials from Beyler Group assured Museveni that they would invest billions in Uganda’s sectors such as health, agriculture, water and technology, and that all they needed was land, about 15 acres on which to run their operations, including to establishing a coffee processing factory and a meter-manufacturing plant.
To prove to the General from Rwakitura how serious they were, the Turkish investors said they have already constructed a PCR diagnostic center for diseases such as Coronavirus and TB in the Bugolobi area of Kampala.
Convinced by the investors, Museveni has directed his Agriculture Minister Tumwebaze to offer the investors land, up to 15 acres. The land in Entebbe currently belongs to MAAIF.
“Beyler Group, a Turkish Investment Group, met me and committed to build a modern private hospital in Uganda. They intend to promote medical tourism in Uganda. The more of such hospitals we can have, the better for our health sector,” Museveni wrote to Tumwebaze on July 20 in a letter also copied to Vice President Jessica Alupo, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and Beyler Group.
“I, therefore, direct you to allocate them land from the agriculture land in Entebbe for this purpose.”
Although Museveni seems passionate about promoting medical tourism and supporting foreign investors, some of them have failed miserably, infuriating Ugandans. For example, investor Enrica Pinetti’s Lubowa International Specialized Hospital has stalled for three years now despite government injecting about Shs660bn since 2019.
The same investor, Pinetti, has been in the news over a controversial coffee deal, with Ugandans telling Museveni to grow his own coffee and sell it to the investor in peace. (Read Opinion Here).
But Museveni has defended Investor Pinetti, saying she is a savior and vowing to punish those who want to disturb her. (Read Story Here).
