Godfrey Binaisa, Former President

Jan 07, 2005

The 84-year-old former president took the country by surprise when he announced he had found a

The 84-year-old former president took the country by surprise when he announced he had found a bride over the Internet.

Tomoko Yamamoto and Binaisa were married in December and had their reception at Speke Resort and Country Lodge, Munyonyo.

Geoffrey Kamuntu who?
That is what everybody used to say whenever his name cropped up. Then he married Diana Museveni and suddenly everybody wanted to be his friend. A friendly person who has not let the fact that he married into the first family swivel around in his head.

Aggrey Kagonyera, Promotions Manager, MTN
The man with an excess amount of sunglasses! Word is that he has one for just about every occasion be it a press conference or a wedding. And with the sunglasses come a hefty number of running shoes. Rounded off the year with a wedding - his wedding to Diana Mulira on New Year’s Eve.

Julia Sebutinde, Judge
She spent the whole year vexing with former URA boss, Annebrit Aslund for having her kyeyo salary (remember the police probe) taxed to a tune of sh26m. Now we hear she is set to quit Uganda for a job with the United Nations.

Mary Karooro Okurut, Woman MP, Busheny
Apart from becoming MP, she coined the phrase ‘kimansulo of the mouth’ MP Salamu Musumba saying: “Musumba has got to dress her mouth. She has got ekimansulo of the mouth. She uses very provocative language. She has persistently abused the president...I am calling on my sister to dress her mouth.”

Annebrit Aslund, Employment Details Unknown (below)
She spent the whole year crying because of Lady Justice Julia Sebutinde whom she ‘blames’ for causing her to loose her job as URA boss.

George Kanyeihamba, High Court Judge
Was not into combing his hair last year and we expect him to keep up the trend. He went off the rails when he chose to take a bite at the hand that feeds him — in this case the man who gave him his job — President Museveni. He was bold enough to stand on a ‘soap box’ and say he (Museveni) can sack me if he wants.

Hassan Bassajjabalaba, Businessman
‘Hassan B’, that is what everybody calls him because they can’t be bothered to say out his lengthy surname fizzled off the scene no sooner had he stepped into it. Last year he was barely in the news and everybody wonders what on earth happened to him. His legendary business ventures have come to a standstill and the thought of going into business with him was everybody’s dream because of his money. Now dare mention his name and everybody runs a mile.
Declan Peppard, Owner, Bubbles O’Leary
While he was well known by the expats, Declan became famous in Kampala when he opened his Kololo Irish Pub. But he almost landed himself in serious financial trouble when his Uganda Travel Bureau laden with debts closed for a while. An unknown tycoon later bailed him out.

Dr William Kalema, Chairman Uganda Investment Authority
Dr Kalema had every reason to be in the limelight. Apart from heading Uganda Investment Authority, he is also a director in quite a number of companies. That aside, at most business functions he is huddled in a corner, as people queue up to pick is corporate mind.

Maria Kiwanuka, Owner, Radio One/Two (right)
Likes to have a dash of red tint in her hair and whenever she makes a public appearance, she is always sporting something red in her attire -probably something to do with the trademark red colour of her radio station. She is also a close confidant of Buganda Queen, Sylvia Nagginda.

Richard Byarugaba, Managing Director, Nile Bank
Richard has come a long way since his ‘who is he?’ days at Standard Chartered Bank. Since he was elevated to the top job as Managing Director, he can practically be fussy about which party to attend. Also has a thing for running marathons.

Sudhir and Jyotsna Ruparelia, Tycoons
What did they not do? Sudhir and his wife Jyostna splashed out sh10m on Chameleone when he won the PAM Awards artist of the year, plus money to Uganda Red Cross Society and opened up their new Kabira Country Club restaurant.

Gordon and Morine Wavamunno, Tycoons
Apart from buying themselves ‘his and hers’ personalised Mercedes Benzes, the Wava’s last year were rather quiet.

However, we do expect to see Morine driving around town in the new SLK Mercedes Benz. Gordon on the other hand had a good year when all the top brass from Mercedes Benz, Stuttgart came down to witness the opening of his Spear Motors showroom in Nakawa.

Karim Hiriji, Tycoon
He finally opened up his new flagship hotel in Entebbe, but also tragically lost his wife early in the year.


Janet Museveni,First Lady
She campaigned hard for her AIDS awareness programme to the streets and just like Louis Farrakhan did with his Million Man March in Washington DC, Janet had her ‘70,000 virgin march.’
Robbie Clarke, Teacher, Lincoln School (left)
Wife to Dr. Ian Clarke, Robbie is quiet and maintains her own on the social scene.

Major General Katumba Wamala, Inspector General of Police
The nation’s top policeman never puts a foot wrong. At the parties that he attended he always maintained a low-key profile as if he didn’t want to be pampered. He also never throws his weight about and is very polite.

Susan Muhwezi, Presidential Advisor on AGOA
There is much more to Susan than being presidential advisor. She is also a close confidant to the first family and has been ‘ssenga’ to Natasha, Patience and Diana — all daughters of President Museveni and Janet Museveni.

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