Hotel and Restaurants Authority (HRA)
Description
Hotel and Restaurants Authority: It was established to regulate and standardise hotels and restaurants. New hotel, resort and lodge projects are required to be licensed first before commencing construction. This is aimed at ensuring quality and compliance with relevant laws and regulations and promoting excellence in the hospitality sector. The authority will also embark on a nationwide exercise of grading and classification, using the East African Community regulatory regime for all the five member States.
The tourism industry is regulated by two Acts of Parliament -the Hotels and Restaurant Act (Cap 494) and the Tourist Industry Licensing Act (Cap 381). The former was enacted in 1972 to provide for licensing of hotels, hotel managers and restaurants with a view to regulate hotels and restaurants, for the imposition of a levy for training people to be employed in hotels and restaurants. Licensing and regulation under the Act is administered through the Authority, a board constituted by the Minister for Tourism.
Three types of licenses are issued under Cap 494: Annual renewals, classification certificates and entry permits. In considering applications for hotel licenses, the board requires operators to present a title deed or lease agreement for the premises, copies of work permit where applicable, health clearance certificate, tariff (bed and room charges, and menu) and an appropriate license fee according to category, size, bed capacity and extent of services provided.
For restaurant licenses, the following are required: A certificate of incorporation or PIN number, health certificates, copy of tariffs, lease agreement, copies of manager’s professional qualifications, work permit for foreigners, license fee and filled forms HRA 1 and FM 2
Hotel and Restaurants Authority (HRA)