It requires huge capital for one to invest in a hotel business – knowledge of the business, funds and social networking are key.
The tale of Maple Leaf Hotel construction and grand opening by owner, Jamil Ssempijja is one of the kind. His glass-thatched hotel in the heart of Masaka City stands out for many reasons, including the fact that its proprietor has distinguished himself as hardworking man – a person whose time is not an ally – a busy bee wearing many hats. A devoted man with great passion.
In his choice of dressing and expression, he is a man with a sharp vision for a first-class hospitality services facility in the heart of the fast-growing city. Ssempijja has laid a historical monument that will live to serve his clientele with memorable moments in this part of the world.
Inside his office is a wall clock with a portrait of President Museveni and Buganda’s Kabaka Ronald Mutebi. The boss’ office is on the left a few steps from the reception corridor leading to a well-arranged restaurant room; accommodation facilities.
To this, the business magnet has marshalled the capital investment with a handful support from sister businesses; Airtel and Pepsi distributor in Masaka City.
Ssempijja’s business journey kicked off as a civil servant. His father Hajj Badru Lukyamuzi was a trader from whom one could say the apple falls not far from its trunk. Ssempijja started from a small shop in Masaka Town. He looked at the shop as a mere starting point – a springboard from his he was launching his business dreams. He later ventured in distributing hospital items at Masaka Referral Hospital alias Mulago such as sundries in late 1990s.
“I am a hands-on man by nature. I always love it when I wake up early in the morning and do something new with my hands,” states Ssempijja as we walk around Maple Leaf Hotel, which is now three years in operation.
“This is one facility frequently occupied with clients and remains the talk of the town.”
Looking at a wholly tempered and insulating safety curtain wall and glass assembled hotel with in-built music system and ambient indoor lightening, it is hard to believe that Ssempijja owns such a facility that has lived up to his dream.
But because he was once in construction industry, Ssempijja knows it very well that for such a structure to stand on its own all he needed was enough capital which he worked for.
“As for construction, I worked so hard to make it count. I enrolled for schools’ facilitation grant under Selco Enterprises and later I decided to venture in constructing schools within Masaka Town and that’s how I saved for this hotel,” Ssempijja shares exuding a lot of confidence.
Among the schools Ssempijja constructed are Bwala primary school, Hill road primary school, Kiwala primary school and Butenga primary school. Ssempijja is one man who has juggled loads of businesses for him to make his hotel business dream come to life.
“I kept on adding other projects such as distributing Pepsi products within Masaka but more importantly, I’ve learnt that to do any business you’ve to first fall in love with it,” he shares.
Ssempijja was born at Ninzi Village in Kasaali Sub-county, Kyotera District. He attended Kiyimba Primary School, Kirembwe Primary School, Kakoma Secondary School and Kampala High School before going to Nkumba University where he earned a Higher Diploma in Business Administration. In 2003, Ssempijja became the distributor of Pepsi products in Masaka.
“I love competition but me I don’t compete with anyone. Every day I compete with myself and that’s why my hotel is surrounded with other hotels but we are making money,” he noted.
“While in this business I was able to secure a holiday package to United States, Thailand, Holland and Dubai but while there I got two thoughts; starting a school or a hotel since I had saved some money to start with,” he says.
“In 2003, Celtel (Currently referred to as Airtel) came in. I knew nothing about it but I went on to become its distributor and from there we managed to increase our capital because deeply in my heart I knew I had to own my business,” he shares.
By then, as a Celtel distributor it was very hard for Ssempijja to make shs3m per day because still there was stiff competition with MTN but with the help of engineer Polly Kiwanuka and Bernard Atukwase, Ssempijja kept on going.
“I felt the pressure back then because all I wanted was my personal business. I’ve always loved to own my businesses because you’re the boss of your own,” he says.
With the school idea still lingering in his notices, Ssempijja later resolved to let go of constructing the school after realizing the pressure that may occur and instead built Maple Leaf Hotel which today settles with 27 rooms. Maple Leaf Hotel opened its doors earlier in November last year. The hotel employs 27 workers.
According to him, its three conference rooms accommodate; 250, 150 and 40 people respectively depending on the sitting arrangements. They normally charge shs800, 000, shs400, 000 and shs300, 000 respectively.
“The problem with the school is that you face a lot of pressure from the parents, students and teachers themselves that’s why I went for a hotel instead,” he says.
Ssempijja narrates that Masaka City has a number of hotels but their standards has always been lacking. As for clarity; Maple Leaf Hotel has attracted first-class festivals including the Holy Family Ministries (HFM) proprietor Dr. John Baptist Bariruno too destined to hold a maiden feast for construction of Holy family Ministeries church for all members at Maple Leaf Hotel earlier on July 5 this year and is anticipated to attract thousands at shs500,000 and shs100,000 for a table of five people and each participant respectively.
Away from clients; Ssempijja says the whole structure was built by engineer Charles Ssejemba and Mbogo Kasibante.
“In Europe it is not about money. What counts for people are those things that satisfy them and a good building with fast-class services counts much which we also consider at the hotel,” Ssempijja who is running the hotel business with his son, Moses Mutagubya who also doubles as the Airtel manager in Masaka said.
The strategic location of the place; Masaka–Kampala Highway also was a driving factor that gave him a reason to believe.
“I bought this land in 2008 and initially there was a house for some Indians and eventually we started constructing the hotel,” he adds.
For the Maple Leaf Hotel to stand, Ssempijja had to toil for eight years ago in order to realize such a multi-billion project.
“I’ve felt a lot of pressure from the public because they wanted the hotel to open instantly. Many including my friends started ranting that if I don’t open they will open it by themselves,” said Ssempijja as he climbs the ladder to showcase some of the unique features inside the hotel rooms. These are classified into three segments; Executive, single and double rooms.
“The whole structure is unique in and outside the hotel. Most of the material we used was made by our own people here and some people still don’t believe that,” he shares.
Ssempijja says he prefers local stuff and when he tried to employ foreigners to make some furniture for the hotel, he was totally disappointed.
“I think it is always good to employ local people. That alone brings you closer to your targeted customers,” added Ssempijja.
Why Maple Leaf?
It is an emblem of Canada with a hidden meaning and it fits directly to Ssempijja’s traits.
“It is a symbol of determination, change, unity and patience and if you don’t possess those four elements you can’t erect such a building,” he shares.
Challenges
Ssempijja says in the beginning, they faced a challenge of unstable electricity because they opened up without a standby generator.
“Electricity is unpredictable, so it puzzled me a lot and of course workers. Most of them were new in the system,” he recollects.
Moses Mutagubya- Overseer of Maple Leaf Hotel
Mr Ssempijja is my father but I consider him as a hardworking man. He is a good time manager who loves his work and sometimes I ask myself where he gets all this zeal to run a hotel and other businesses at a go.
So, far we have managed to host numerous people here including Rotarians and others who normally appreciate the exceptional service offered at the hotel.
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