The Monitor  By Jascent Namuyiga The  Kampala Serena Hotel has started massive recruitment of staff in the East African region. The hotel, which is scheduled to open in July this year, is inviting applicants to cover a number of positions in its front office, food and beverages, health club and the administration and finance departments.

About 136 people would be employed in the Front office, 162 in the food and beverages while 32 and 69 would be taken up in the Health club and administrations and finance respectively.

According to a press statement dated January 18, airport hosts/hostesses, head concierge, banqueting sales executive, chef de partie, gymnasium instructor, beauty therapists, human resource assistants, refrigeration and air-conditioning technician, medical officer are among the various professionals and experienced personnel the facility of five-star status needs.

The project, which, commenced on February 15 reaches completion by the end of February 2006, at a total cost $26 million (about Shs46.8b).

In January 2004, the Serena Group acquired the Nile Hotel complex-comprising a bedroom block and an international conference with a sitting capacity of 3,000 from the government on a 30-year concession. It was closed at the end of 2004 for a full upgrade preparing it for the 2007 commonwealth summit.

The Serena Hotels East Africa is the region's leading hotel group whose principal shareholder is the Swiss-registered Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development.