KAMPALA, August 2026 — In a quiet but significant engagement at the President’s Office in Kampala, Ambassador Abbey Walusimbi, Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs, met with Mr. Yan Da – John Yan, a promoter and director of Alps Finance Limited and Blackstone Real Estate, to discuss practical solutions to help Ugandans abroad and returnees acquire property back home.
The meeting comes at a time when H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni continues to emphasize the diaspora as a key partner in national development. For many Ugandans living overseas, owning a home or condominium in Uganda remains a priority, but challenges of distance, documentation, and access to credit often slow the process.
Ambassador Abbey Walusimbi and Mr. Yan discussed how licensed microfinance and turnkey housing could bridge that gap.
Alps Finance Limited, a Kampala-registered microfinance institution with a valid Money Lending Licence, offers small loans of up to UGX 50 million with a maximum repayment period of 12 months. The loans carry an average monthly interest rate of 5% and are secured against land titles, apartments, or vehicle logbooks.
The company applies strict risk management including pre-loan due diligence, collateral control, post-loan monitoring, and GPS tracking of assets. These terms, officials noted, could give diaspora clients and returnees a faster, more transparent route to finance property transactions without relying solely on traditional commercial banks.
“Clearer, asset-backed lending options can help more Ugandans convert years of savings and remittances into tangible ownership back home,” Ambassador Walusimbi said.
The discussion also reviewed Blackstone Real Estate’s portfolio of ready-to-occupy homes and condominiums tailored for active diaspora members and returning citizens.
The company offers completed residential units and managed housing solutions designed to reduce the burden of overseeing construction or maintenance from abroad.
Mr. Yan described the two enterprises as complementary: “Turnkey homes and condominiums through Blackstone Real Estate, paired with transparent lending through Alps Finance Limited, can give diaspora Ugandans and returnees clearer routes to property ownership.”
Ambassador Walusimbi emphasized that the Office of the President remains open to constructive private-sector partnerships that expand legitimate opportunities for the diaspora, while respecting Uganda’s regulatory frameworks. He appreciated the detailed presentation on financing and real estate options and noted that further technical discussions will follow.
No new government programmes or formal agreements were announced. Instead, the meeting highlighted existing instruments now available: a licensed microfinance product of up to UGX 50 million, secured against land or apartments, and a pipeline of turnkey residential properties and condominiums.
For many returnees seeking to re-establish roots, and for Ugandans abroad who want a secure foothold at home, the conversation went beyond numbers. It spoke to belonging the hope of having a house or apartment that remains theirs regardless of where life takes them.
With remittances continuing to play a major role in Uganda’s economy, engagements like this keep the practical needs of citizens abroad and those returning home firmly on the national agenda.
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