Ugandan businessman Amos Nzeyi has been linked to a proposed new international airport project in southwestern Uganda following remarks by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during the 2026 Tarehe Sita celebrations.
Speaking on February 6 in Kabale, Nzeyi’s home district, President Museveni announced that the government plans to construct a major international airport in the Kigezi sub-region on land given by Nzeyi. The project, he said, would be developed in partnership with the ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
“I want to thank Amos Nzeyi. He gave us land somewhere here, where we are going to build with the ruler of Sharjah a big airport there, an international airport, so that the tourists fly in, they don’t have to drive all the way from Entebbe,” Museveni said during his address.
The announcement was made as part of broader infrastructure commitments unveiled at the national Tarehe Sita event, an annual celebration held on February 6 to commemorate the 1981 attack on Kabamba Military Barracks that marked the beginning of the five-year guerrilla war led by the National Resistance Army (NRA). The conflict culminated in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) taking power on January 26, 1986.
Land Donation in Kabale
According to the President’s remarks, Nzeyi has offered land in Kabale District for the proposed airport. Specific details about the size, exact location, valuation of the land, or the structure of the partnership with the Sharjah authorities were not disclosed during the speech.
CEO East Africa Magazine contacted Nzeyi seeking clarification on the scope, status and structure of the proposed Kabale airport project referenced by the President, but he did not respond by the time of publication. It is also not yet clear whether the land has been provided as a donation or whether it will be incorporated into the project structure as Nzeyi’s equity participation.
Nzeyi, one of Uganda’s prominent industrialists, is best known as the chairman and majority shareholder of Crown Beverages Limited, the bottler of Pepsi products in Uganda. He has business interests spanning manufacturing, hospitality, and real estate. His involvement in the airport project, as described by the President, appears to be limited to the provision of land at this stage.
There has been no official statement yet outlining the financing model, ownership structure, or implementation timeline for the airport.
Tourism-Focused Infrastructure
Museveni framed the proposed Kabale international airport as a strategic investment to support tourism in southwestern Uganda. The Kigezi region is home to major attractions, including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, both internationally known for mountain gorilla tracking.
Currently, most international visitors arrive through Entebbe International Airport and travel by road to southwestern Uganda — a journey that can take between eight and ten hours depending on destination and road conditions. A direct international gateway in the region would significantly shorten travel time for tourists.
The President indicated that the project is intended to allow visitors to “fly in” directly to the region, thereby boosting tourism growth and accelerating local economic development.
Expansion of Kisoro Airport
In addition to the new airport in Kabale, Museveni announced plans to expand Kisoro Airstrip, which already serves the southwestern tourism corridor with domestic flights. The expansion would improve capacity and potentially allow for larger aircraft operations.
Emirates Deploys Next-Generation A350 to Entebbe, Expanding Premium Economy Reach to UgandaNo technical specifications or budget figures for the Kisoro upgrade were provided during the speech.
Planned Airport in Mbarara
The President also revealed plans for another major airport project in Mbarara City. He described it as a “huge airport,” potentially larger than Entebbe International Airport, and said it would focus primarily on trade.
Museveni stated that the Mbarara facility would be positioned to support trade between South America and China, noting that the region lies along a midpoint route between the two continents. He suggested that the area could become a logistics hub for transcontinental commerce.
As with the Kabale project, further details on feasibility studies, funding arrangements, timelines, or investor commitments for the Mbarara airport were not disclosed.
Regional Development Vision
The announcements form part of a broader infrastructure-led development agenda for western and southwestern Uganda. The President described the region as already developing but poised for accelerated growth through improved connectivity.
Air transport infrastructure has increasingly been positioned by the government as a catalyst for tourism, trade, and regional economic transformation. Uganda currently operates Entebbe International Airport as its primary international gateway, with several regional airstrips serving domestic and charter flights.
If implemented, the Kabale and Mbarara projects would mark a significant expansion of Uganda’s aviation infrastructure footprint.
Awaiting Formal Framework
At present, the airport projects remain at the announcement stage. No formal agreements, memoranda of understanding, or project commencement dates have been publicly released. It is also not yet clear what role the Sharjah partnership would play in financing, constructing, or operating the proposed Kabale international airport.
For Amos Nzeyi, the development places him at the centre of a potentially transformative infrastructure project in his home region. However, beyond the reported land donation acknowledged by the President, further details regarding his involvement have yet to be clarified.
As government agencies move to translate the announcement into formal planning and implementation steps, stakeholders in tourism, trade, and regional development will be watching closely for additional information on feasibility, funding, and execution timelines.
