By Namuddu Brenda
Sudhir Ruparelia has bought Lotis Towers, a multi-million dollar building in Kampala.
The 14-storied upscale building located at plot 16 MacKinnon road, Nakasero, developed cracks in 2022, compelling several tenants to leave.
A report by lawmakers established that the reinforced concrete column on the Sixth Floor of Lotis Towers, constructed by Roko Company, had indeed suffered “compression failure” and the integrity of the building was threatened.
The National Building Review Board (NBRB) said “several columns with similar signs of failure were observed in the basement.”
However, Eng. Kenneth Magembe from Armstrong Consulting, the consultants of the project, said among the 21 columns, only one column on the 6th floor has developed minor cracks and in the basement.
Some of the affected tenants were the Judicial Service Commission-JSC, Cairo Bank International, British American Tobacco-BAT, and the Democratic Governance Facility-DGF.
Sudhir Ruparelia on May 2, 2024 informed tenants that he had bought the building.
“This serves to communicate that property comprised in Freehold Register Volume KCCA 40, Folio 23, Plot 16, Army Avenue, Nakasero, Kampala was sold pursuant to a public auction by DFCU Bank Ltd through its auctioneers Jubilee Auctioneers to Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia and Jyotsna Ruparelia,” Sudhir said in a memo to tenants.
“Therefore, all your dealings will be with the new landlord,” he added.
“Accordingly, please ensure that you submit all your current signed tenancy agreements with proof of payment made up-to-date in order to regularise the tenancy agreement with the new landlords,” Sudhir emphasised.
“Furthermore, irrevocably all rent and/or any arrears should be paid to your new landlords on the following Bank account details only (No cash payment allowed).”
The building was owned by real estate mogul, Samuel Lotigo.