KARAMOJA – Graduates in hotel management in Karamoja sub-region are warming up to grab jobs from Katurum hotel which will officially resume operations in September 2019.
Katurum hotel located in Kidepo Valley National Game Park in Karamoja region has been going through major renovation by the Prominent Karimojong businessman Mr. Kolonias Kodet.
According to Mr. Kolonias Kodet the hotel’s proprietor said the hotel will start operations in September.
“It’s going to be officially opened by the President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni next month and we are going to employ up to 500 people,” he revealed.
The 370 room hotel, according to Mr. Kodet will help to address the shortage of accommodation on tourists who always get stranded due to lack of decent accommodation while touring the National park.
Katurum hotel was constructed during Idi Amin’s regime in 70s but it was vandalized when he was overthrown.
The building collapsed and stayed for about 49 years before Kodet who also owns many businesses including Aero beach in Entebbe and Mt. Moroto hotel in Moroto requested President Museveni to allow him reconstruct the place and he was given green light to go ahead.
Mr. Kodet speaking to PML Daily on Thursday 29, August said his purpose of rebuilding the dilapidated hotel was to create jobs for the jobless youth and also boost tourism in Karamoja.
He said there will be many activities that will take place in the hotel including Camel riding, and visitors will not bother to land at Entebbe airport since the park has a vast airfield to accommodate planes.
“This is going to be the mother of hotels in all the game parks in Uganda and the whole of East Africa, It will offer leisure facilities including a state-of-the-art fitness centre, public swimming pool and indoor swimming pool with innovative workspaces and meeting rooms for business guests and a 300sqm ballroom,” he said.
Kidepo Valley National park is among Uganda’s most magnificient parks along the border of Uganda with Southern Sudan in the northeast. It covers 1,442 sq kilometers and offers scenery unparalleled in any other national parks within East Africa.
According to the report by many tourists it’s the only best safaris in the whole of Africa with many species of wild animals. The park receives a total of about 1,000 to 2,000 every month.
Betty Nakiru a diploma holder in hotel management prayed that the hotel will address their needs.
“I finished my catering course two years ago but I failed to get a job now this will be an opportunity to some of us to shine,” he said.