Janani Luwum Church House: A Landmark Skyscraper in Kampala, Uganda

 

Janani Luwum Church House, also known as Church House, is a commercial skyscraper located in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. It is owned by the Anglican Church in Uganda, specifically the Church of Uganda. Situated at 34 Kampala Road, which is the main business street in the city, the 16-story building is in the heart of the central business district within Kampala Central Division.

 

Church House is under the ownership of the Provincial Office of the Church of Uganda. Shares in the holding company, Church of Uganda House Limited, were acquired by Anglican dioceses and parishes throughout the country. The building serves as the offices of the Archbishop of Uganda, and the remaining space is leased to banks, restaurants, and other commercial entities. The rental income is utilized to repay the construction mortgage and support other church projects.

 

Equity Bank Uganda Limited, which holds a 70 percent equity mortgage on the building, has its headquarters and main branch occupying the first four floors of the skyscraper.

 

The construction of Church House had been planned for many years, with the project officially commencing in March of the following year after being proposed by Anglican bishops during the Church's centenary celebrations in 1977. Led by the Church Commissioners Holding Company Ltd, an investment arm of the Church of Uganda, the construction took approximately two years and required an initial investment of 6 billion Ugandan Shillings. The complex was envisioned to generate income for the Church while providing office space for banks, NGOs, restaurants, and shopping arcades.

 

The idea to construct Church House was conceived in 1965 as a means for the Church of Uganda to achieve financial sustainability. However, previous fundraising efforts fell short of the targets. The Church redirected those funds to acquire land in various parts of the city. 

By selling those real estate holdings in the 2000s, the provincial office managed to raise the necessary 30% of the construction costs. The remaining 70% was secured through a mortgage from Equity Bank Uganda Limited. Construction began in January 2011 with an estimated timeline of 18 to 24 months. However, unforeseen delays pushed the completion date to the second half of 2014. 

The project was ultimately concluded, and the building was officially handed over to the owners in June 2018, with the inauguration ceremony led by the then prime minister of Uganda, Ruhakana Rugunda, taking place on August 24, 2018.

 

The lead contractor for the construction was Cementers Uganda Limited, a local company. The initial estimated cost of the project was 40.73 billion Ugandan Shillings (approximately 16.3 million USD). Construction delays may have resulted in higher expenses. The Church of Uganda contributed 30% of the funding in cash, while Equity Bank provided a 70% construction mortgage. James Mwangi, the Group CEO of Equity Group Holdings Limited, personally contributed 1 billion Ugandan Shillings (around 270,000 USD) towards the building's construction.