Tycoon Rajiv to build top stadium in Kololo

KAMPALA —Businessman Rajiv Ruparelia has revealed plans to construct a football stadium and a recreation facility in Kololo, Kampala city.

Rajiv, the Managing Director of Ruparelia Group said facility would a football pitch, basket ball court, several swimming pools and a gym on global standards.

This, he believes will aid sporting talents in Kampala which lack sports facilities.

Rajiv’s plans to develop modern sports facilities that offer employment opportunities to people and also a source of government revenue through tax collection has a challenge with Kololo Secondary School which is fighting for the playground.

The contested land is along Lugogo Bypass, close to Kampala Parents School. It also happens to be between Kololo Secondary School and Premier Academy, and it is jointly used by the two entities as a football play ground.

In a move he said is likely to steer development, Mr Rajiv said his first step is to build a wall encircling the land, so as to control the inflow and outflow of people.

Rajiv also a sportsman said it would take him between two to three years to complete his developmental projects on the land.

He, however, issued a stern warning to those who are making attempts to fail him in his conceived plan to develop the area.

“Some people want to grab the land. They want to be land grabbers. Unfortunately this is not good for our society….,” he said.

“It is not Kololo SS land. The land belongs to Ruparelia Group, and is between Premier academy and Kololo SS, and jointly used by the two as a sports field.”

He claimed that land grabbers are distributing money to the poor population to cause chaos and so block efforts to develop the land.

“……..they use the LCs, they give some small money 1K, 2K, I know who they give money to and what they do. They incite violence to try to stop development. It is extremely sad to try to take advantage of poor people like this,” Mr Rajiv stated.

“They tell us they have the ability to develop it. They had all the time in the world to develop it, but they didnt. It shocks me that they want to develop it at a time when we also want to develop it.”