By Ben Musanje
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has broken ground for the construction of a new Statistics House in Entebbe, a Shs76 billion facility expected to transform the institution’s operations and strengthen Uganda’s data management capacity.
The seven-level building, whose construction officially commenced on July 30, 2026, will occupy a total floor area of 16,230 square metres and is expected to be completed by July 2029.
According to Moreen Kanyoma, Project Manager at Symbion Uganda Limited, the facility will comprise three basement levels and four floors above ground. Construction works are being undertaken by ROKO Construction Company, with Broken Construction serving as the contractor overseeing the excavation works.
“The project cost is Shs76 billion, and we envision the project to take three years, with the finish date being July 30, 2029,” Kanyoma said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
The new Statistics House has been designed as a modern, sustainable workplace equipped to support UBOS’ growing data and research needs. The basement levels will accommodate a data centre and underground parking, while the upper floors will host IT offices, maintenance workshops, server rooms, Statistical Bureau offices and meeting spaces.
The building will also feature an innovation centre, research and data centre, wellness centre and gym, canteen, museum, resource library and a conference hall with capacity for 672 people.
Kanyoma said sustainability was central to the design, with provisions including parking spaces for persons with disabilities, bicycle facilities and electric vehicle charging points.
“We are moving into the future and we want to be sustainable with green construction,” she said.
Beyond providing office space, the project is expected to generate economic opportunities for the surrounding community. Kanyoma urged the contractor to source construction materials locally and employ residents during the construction period.
“We encourage the contractor to buy materials from local suppliers so that the community benefits, and we also encourage you to hire some local workers so that some people can gain from short-term employment,” she said.
ROKO pledges timely and quality delivery
Speaking on behalf of ROKO Construction at the groundbreaking ceremony that was officiated by the Finance Minister Henry Musasizi, Board Chairman Nark Koehler pledged that the company would deliver the project safely, within the agreed timeline and to the highest quality standards.
Koehler described the building as an important national investment, noting that reliable statistics are critical for effective planning, policy formulation and decision-making.
“This building is much more than concrete and steel. It is an investment in Uganda’s future,” he said.
He acknowledged the confidence placed in ROKO by the Government of Uganda, the Ministry of Finance and UBOS, promising that the company would uphold its reputation for quality while improving on delivery timelines.
“For this project, our commitment is clear: to deliver the quality for which ROKO is known while delivering within the agreed programme,” Koehler said.
He added that excavation works were nearing completion, paving the way for the main construction phase.
“Buildings like this are not created by contracts alone; they are created by trust. Today, we celebrate the trust that UBOS and the Government of Uganda have placed in ROKO Construction,” he said.
Entebbe welcomes landmark development
Representing the Town Clerk of Entebbe Municipal Council, Principal Assistant Town Clerk Aidah Namanya said the project would serve as a benchmark for future developments in the municipality as Entebbe transitions toward city status.
“For future Entebbe City, you are showing the way. Everyone now knows that if this is the reference, this can be the institutional reference when it comes to development,” Namanya said.
She pledged the council’s support and cooperation with UBOS throughout the project’s implementation.
“As Entebbe Municipal Council, we pledge our support and cooperation in partnership with UBOS when it comes to planning and implementing the plans,” she said.
The Entebbe Statistics House is expected to become a major institutional landmark, providing UBOS with modern facilities to enhance research, data production and dissemination as Uganda continues to rely on evidence-based planning for national development. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
