Pyramids: A touch of Egypt in Uganda
Apr 03, 2008
CHUCK Swift, an expert in casinos, and a person who has reviewed over 200 of the world’s best casinos, could hardly have said it better about the launch of the Pyramids Casino on Tuesday night: “The Pyramids is the gem of Africa.â€
By Timothy Bukumunhe
CHUCK Swift, an expert in casinos, and a person who has reviewed over 200 of the world’s best casinos, could hardly have said it better about the launch of the Pyramids Casino on Tuesday night: “The Pyramids is the gem of Africa.â€
And it was a statement that all the guests, including the chief guest himself, Dr Martin Aliker, concurred with. Pyramids Casino was born amid such pomp and flair that it surpassed even the multimillion launch of Warid Telecom earlier this year.
If anything, the three partners of the Casino — Bob Kabonero, Shumel Peled and Muli Hirshberg — did more than push the boat out. In keeping with the name of the casino, the trio literally brought ancient Egypt to Uganda.
Right from the entrance off Kitante Road and up the red carpet to the casino entrance, there was a phalanx of ‘Egyptian sentries, right down to palace household staff’ who were dressed in the finest Egyptian splendour.
They had to be, for inside the pyramid, ‘Queen Cleopatra and the mighty Julius Caesar’ were holding court over a mesmerised crowd who on a week day, went out of their way to adhere to the chosen dress code of black tie.
Jazz maestro, Isaiah Katumwa, did not play his saxophone the way he usually does at other functions. He literally blew the life out of the sax with such passion that the music serenaded round the Pyramids, with such soothing tranquillity.
Equally impressive in her job as Mistress of Ceremonies for the night was Crystal Newman, fully vivacious in her Egyptian attire.
And then something happened. Kabonero is usually a shy and reserved man. Even at the anniversary parties at his Kampala Casino, he tends to keep a low profile. At the Pyramids launch, Kabonero had to take centre stage and rightfully so.
Wearing a pristine black suit, he could hardly contain himself just like his brother-in-law, Jim Muhwezi could not. With a beam on his face that almost threatened to shatter his glasses, he hailed his two partners, Peled whom he supplied countless bottles of drinking water and Hirshberg for his deep financial pockets.
And there was the most important partner who without a doubt had to be acknowledged — his wife — whom he said had stopped asking him where he has been because he is always in the Pyramids. Complimenting Kabonero was the ever witty Aliker, who hailed the Pyramids as ‘the cultural centre of East Africa’.
And the guest list was impressive too: Simba Telecom’s Patrick Bitature, John Kulubuya, Uganda Breweries board chairman William Kalema, lawyer Edwin Karugire, tycoon Tom Mugenga, Tharim Aziz of Goldstar Insurance, Stanbic’s Anne Aliker, Elly Karuhanga and the Rwakakoko twins, to name a few.
CHUCK Swift, an expert in casinos, and a person who has reviewed over 200 of the world’s best casinos, could hardly have said it better about the launch of the Pyramids Casino on Tuesday night: “The Pyramids is the gem of Africa.â€
And it was a statement that all the guests, including the chief guest himself, Dr Martin Aliker, concurred with. Pyramids Casino was born amid such pomp and flair that it surpassed even the multimillion launch of Warid Telecom earlier this year.
If anything, the three partners of the Casino — Bob Kabonero, Shumel Peled and Muli Hirshberg — did more than push the boat out. In keeping with the name of the casino, the trio literally brought ancient Egypt to Uganda.
Right from the entrance off Kitante Road and up the red carpet to the casino entrance, there was a phalanx of ‘Egyptian sentries, right down to palace household staff’ who were dressed in the finest Egyptian splendour.
They had to be, for inside the pyramid, ‘Queen Cleopatra and the mighty Julius Caesar’ were holding court over a mesmerised crowd who on a week day, went out of their way to adhere to the chosen dress code of black tie.
Jazz maestro, Isaiah Katumwa, did not play his saxophone the way he usually does at other functions. He literally blew the life out of the sax with such passion that the music serenaded round the Pyramids, with such soothing tranquillity.
Equally impressive in her job as Mistress of Ceremonies for the night was Crystal Newman, fully vivacious in her Egyptian attire.
And then something happened. Kabonero is usually a shy and reserved man. Even at the anniversary parties at his Kampala Casino, he tends to keep a low profile. At the Pyramids launch, Kabonero had to take centre stage and rightfully so.
Wearing a pristine black suit, he could hardly contain himself just like his brother-in-law, Jim Muhwezi could not. With a beam on his face that almost threatened to shatter his glasses, he hailed his two partners, Peled whom he supplied countless bottles of drinking water and Hirshberg for his deep financial pockets.
And there was the most important partner who without a doubt had to be acknowledged — his wife — whom he said had stopped asking him where he has been because he is always in the Pyramids. Complimenting Kabonero was the ever witty Aliker, who hailed the Pyramids as ‘the cultural centre of East Africa’.
And the guest list was impressive too: Simba Telecom’s Patrick Bitature, John Kulubuya, Uganda Breweries board chairman William Kalema, lawyer Edwin Karugire, tycoon Tom Mugenga, Tharim Aziz of Goldstar Insurance, Stanbic’s Anne Aliker, Elly Karuhanga and the Rwakakoko twins, to name a few.