Kampala. The High Court Commercial Division has ruled in favour of Meera Investments Limited in a commercial dispute against architectural firm FBW Architects over delays and alleged contractual breaches in the expansion of Kabira Country Club.
In a 43-page judgment delivered on April 3, 2026, Justice Susan Odongo found that the architects failed to meet key contractual and professional obligations, particularly the delivery of usable construction drawings and editable Computer-Aided Design (CAD) files required for implementation of the project.
The court ordered FBW and its directors to refund $132,750 paid by Meera Investments, pay $108,500 in special damages and $500,000 in general damages, in addition to costs of the suit and applicable interest.
Roots of the dispute
Court records indicate that the dispute arose from a 2012 consultancy agreement under which FBW was contracted to provide a complete construction drawings package for the expansion of Kabira Country Club, a flagship hospitality facility under the Ruparelia Group.
The project was suspended in 2013 but later revived in 2018 with revised timelines targeting commencement of construction in January 2019.
However, Meera Investments told court that despite receiving payment, the architects failed to provide editable CAD files necessary for execution, a failure that significantly delayed the project and forced the company to hire alternative consultants to redo parts of the work.
Court findings
In her judgment, Justice Odongo held that FBW’s conduct amounted to a breach that frustrated implementation of the project.
“The defendants’ attempt to satisfy their duty by providing static, unadjustable PDF files for a project of such immense complexity while demanding payments meant for the construction phase was not an act of professional service, but one of technical obstruction,” the judge ruled.
The court rejected the architects’ argument that editable CAD files were not expressly part of the contract, noting that prior dealings between the parties created an implied obligation to provide a complete and usable design package.
Justice Odongo further found that the architects had effectively obstructed progress by withholding critical technical information while still seeking payment for subsequent stages of the project.
Professional accountability
The court also made important findings on professional responsibility, holding that registered professionals cannot rely on corporate structures to avoid liability where clients engaged their technical expertise directly.
“The corporate structure cannot be used as a shield to defeat professional liability,” the ruling stated.
Legal analysts say the decision is likely to influence how courts interpret consultancy obligations in Uganda’s construction and design sector, particularly in disputes involving large-scale infrastructure projects.
Impact on Kabira redevelopment
The ruling removes a long-standing legal hurdle that had slowed the expansion of Kabira Country Club.
The Bukoto-based facility is one of Kampala’s major hospitality properties under businessman Sudhir Ruparelia and is undergoing expansion aimed at transforming it into a modern hospitality and serviced apartment complex.
The decision is expected to allow Meera Investments to proceed with the redevelopment without further legal interruption.
The case adds to a series of commercial court victories for Meera Investments in recent years and brings clarity to a dispute that had stalled one of Kampala’s high-profile hospitality projects.