President Museveni has commissioned a new hotel owned by Uganda’s celebrated long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei in Kapchorwa District.
Cheptegei, Uganda’s top athlete and multiple international medalist, has invested part of his athletic earnings into the hospitality sector, marking a major milestone in his efforts to contribute to national development.
During the commissioning ceremony, President Museveni congratulated and commended Cheptegei for wisely investing his earnings.
“So, we are going to support him. We are not allowed to make pledges during elections, but in principle, we have been supporting other people like manufacturers and even hotels, so we shall support him. The policy is already there,” President Museveni assured.
Cheptegei told the President that he chose to establish the hotel in his home district to support Uganda’s national development goals and create employment opportunities for the local community.
“Once complete, the hotel will create more jobs for Ugandans, with a projection of over 400 job opportunities,” Cheptegei said. “Already we have over 100 people working on this project since February this year, up to date.”
Cheptegei further revealed that the investment, valued at Shs26 billion, is being executed in phases, with the first phase costing Shs13 billion.
“Your Excellency, I’m your student and I think I’m getting it fairly right,” he told President Museveni. “This project is from the savings I have been earning. I first bought land in 2017 and added on it gradually.”
The world champion expressed gratitude to President Museveni for his continued support to Ugandan athletes, noting that such encouragement has been instrumental to their success.
“We have been able to achieve a lot because of your support,” Cheptegei said.
President Museveni reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting Ugandans who invest productively, emphasizing that initiatives like Cheptegei’s hotel contribute significantly to job creation and regional development.