Kabira Country Club expansion costs contractor UGX 2B for breach of agreement.

The High Court Commercial Division in Kampala delivered a judgment against architectural consultancy firm FBW (U) Ltd and its principal architects Nigel J. Tilling and Paul Moores, breaching a multimillion-dollar consultancy agreement linked to the expansion of Bukoto based Kabira Country Club,  

In a detailed 42-page judgment delivered by Hon. Lady Justice Susan Odongo, on April 3, 2026, the court ruled in favor of Meera Investments Limited, owned by business magnate Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, awarding the company a cumulative USD 741,250 (approximately Shs2.7 billion) excluding interest and costs.

The court held that the defendants failed to provide usable architectural construction drawings and unlawfully demanded advance payments tied to construction milestones before actual construction had commenced.

The dispute arose from a 2012 consultancy agreement under which FBW was contracted to prepare a complete construction drawings package for the extension of Kabira Country Club apartments.

Meera Investments argued that despite paying substantial sums, the defendants only supplied static PDF files instead of editable CAD drawings, rendering the documents unusable for contractors and surveyors.

The plaintiff further accused the architects of “holding the project at ransom” by refusing to release critical files unless additional payments were made.

Justice Odongo rejected the defendants’ argument that they had fully discharged their obligations merely by obtaining Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) approval.

The judge ruled that a “full construction package” inherently included usable and editable CAD files, especially considering the parties’ previous dealings on earlier projects.

“A professional’s stamp is not a license to obstruct, but a commitment to deliver,” Justice Odongo stated

As part of the judgment, the court declared:

“True professionalism is found in the delivery of excellence, not in the leverage of technical data”

The court further warned professionals against weaponizing technical information for financial leverage in commercial projects.

Justice Odongo emphasized that architects who personally seal and supervise projects owe direct duties of care to clients plac8ng both FBW and its principal architects jointly liable for the awards.