Following Jesus, the donkey rider
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the day <b>Jesus</b> entered Nazareth riding a donkey. He had the means and power to use a horse, a status symbol at the time, but He chose a donkey as proof for his modesty. Like him, there are people in Uganda with the means, bu
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Nazareth riding a donkey. He had the means and power to use a horse, a status symbol at the time, but He chose a donkey as proof for his modesty. Like him, there are people in Uganda with the means, but choose to live modest lives, writes Harriet Birungi.
John Ssebana Kizito
The former Kampala mayor owns Sure House building on Bombo Road, a farm in Gayaza with a number of Friesian cattle, houses in the Kampala surburbs of Nsambya and Kisugu. He also has vast land in Muyenga-Bukasa, with a Guest House, ‘Ssebo Green’. He owns State Wide Insurance Company and has shares in Bank of Africa, among many other investments.
Before he bought the Prado he now owns, he always drove an old Benz that was registered during the Obotte II regime. It is not uncommon finding him walking, greeting people on his way.
Julian Adyeri-Omalla
She is the proprietor of Delight Uganda Ltd, the manufacturer of Cheers, with an annual turn over of about sh8b ($3.9m).
She also has large scale commercial poultry farming in Senge, Wakiso and Kidera, Tororo district. She started a processing and packing industry for grains, called Global Food Securities, and packs the maize flour under the name Mummy’s Choice. The Kidera poultry farm has 40,000 layers and 20,000 cocks. She also owns a bakery in Sudan, a hostel in Kampala her businesses employ about 450 people. She is the central region chairperson of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Adyeri often mixes with her workers, picking and counting eggs before they are packed. She often travels aboard her company trucks that move merchandise to buyers. She owns an old land cruiser and does not have personalised number plate.
Hajati Sarah Kiyimba
She owns Masaka’s biggest hotel, Hotel Brovad, has her name on a number of commercial properties in Masaka rented out to financial institutions, apartments opposite DFCU bank, a four-storied building housing Post Bank, SWICO, Faula Micro finance, apartments and an assortment of offices for different companies, two-bungalows in Mutiba gardens and land.
She owns Brovad linen fashions and garments at Garden City complex in Kampala among many.
Despite this, Hajati Kiyimba lives a modest life, oftenly dressed in a gomesi and an Islamic veil. She does not own a vehicle, she uses bodabodas or hires a taxi to move around. Her mobile phone of choice is Nokia ka-torch. She kneels to greet men especially those older than her and always finds time to chat with her neighbours.
William Pike
The former managing director and Editor-in-Chief of The New Vision owns Capital Radio and Beat FM. He also has a media house in Kenya. He is one of those people who can write you a dollar cheque and it will never bounce. For many years, he drove a Toyota Corolla when some of the people under him were driving Benzes. He has no problem walking a journey or using a taxi when in a rush. A few times, Pike was seen at Bugolobi Leisure Centre watching soccer on TV while standing in the crowd.
Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala
Despite being the head of the Catholic Church in Uganda and controlling huge resources, Cardinal Wamala chose to not to build himself a comfortable retirement home. Instead, he retired into a house built for retired priests at Nsambya. He even turned down an offer to settle in the UK after retirement. One day in the 1990s, medical workers at Rubaga Hospital were thrown in disarray when they noticed the Cardinal in the out-patient clinic queue. They offered to attend to him first, but he insisted on queueing.
Cyrus Muwonge a.k.a Ngaga
He is the proprietor of Hunter and Greg, an audit firm, which reviews Cocacola and Nile Breweries’ books of accounts. He has rental buildings occupying half of Kitezi town and also owns land in Buganda. He breeds and sells dogs for security work to embassies. He has about 250 Friesian cattle for milk and 150 head of cattle for beef. His poultry farm has about 10, 000 chicken layers and 5,000 broilers. His farm produces about 3,000 litres of milk daily. Despite this, Muwonge is often seen driving an Isuzu Forward truck with elephant grass to his farm. He also has an old model of Peugeot 505. He mostly cuts the grass for his cattle and participates in the feeding. He often hires out his truck for community work.
John Tibyasa
He is the mayor of Masaka Municipality and has been so for more than ten years. He owns land in Kalisizo town and other properties in Masaka. He also has land in Lungujja, Kampala.
He is the only leader who is elected without campaigning; all he does is raising his thumb and he says, “Abewo!â€. (no change). The reason, according to Masaka people, is he is a very honest person who does not misappropriate the municipal funds.
Tibyasa drives an old model Mercedes Benz that he has owned for years.
Aga Sekalala Senior
He is the owner of Ugachick, a big poultry breeding and selling firm in Uganda. He has two commercial buildings on Namirembe road, another near Pride theatre and other properties in Kampala. He is the main exporter of vanilla.
But you will find him driving an old model of vehicle cream in colour or bump into him moving about town with gumboots or feeding his chicken at the poultry house.
Asuman Njubi
He is a prominent man in the fisheries industry and owns a fleet of boats. He has a big hotel in Iganga town and several storied buildings. He formerly owned Nalubaale Football club. He also owns big pieces of land in Iganga.
He drives an ordinary vehicle and is often seen taking walks with his employees.
John Ssebana Kizito
The former Kampala mayor owns Sure House building on Bombo Road, a farm in Gayaza with a number of Friesian cattle, houses in the Kampala surburbs of Nsambya and Kisugu. He also has vast land in Muyenga-Bukasa, with a Guest House, ‘Ssebo Green’. He owns State Wide Insurance Company and has shares in Bank of Africa, among many other investments.
Before he bought the Prado he now owns, he always drove an old Benz that was registered during the Obotte II regime. It is not uncommon finding him walking, greeting people on his way.
Julian Adyeri-Omalla
She is the proprietor of Delight Uganda Ltd, the manufacturer of Cheers, with an annual turn over of about sh8b ($3.9m).
She also has large scale commercial poultry farming in Senge, Wakiso and Kidera, Tororo district. She started a processing and packing industry for grains, called Global Food Securities, and packs the maize flour under the name Mummy’s Choice. The Kidera poultry farm has 40,000 layers and 20,000 cocks. She also owns a bakery in Sudan, a hostel in Kampala her businesses employ about 450 people. She is the central region chairperson of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Adyeri often mixes with her workers, picking and counting eggs before they are packed. She often travels aboard her company trucks that move merchandise to buyers. She owns an old land cruiser and does not have personalised number plate.
Hajati Sarah Kiyimba
She owns Masaka’s biggest hotel, Hotel Brovad, has her name on a number of commercial properties in Masaka rented out to financial institutions, apartments opposite DFCU bank, a four-storied building housing Post Bank, SWICO, Faula Micro finance, apartments and an assortment of offices for different companies, two-bungalows in Mutiba gardens and land.
She owns Brovad linen fashions and garments at Garden City complex in Kampala among many.
Despite this, Hajati Kiyimba lives a modest life, oftenly dressed in a gomesi and an Islamic veil. She does not own a vehicle, she uses bodabodas or hires a taxi to move around. Her mobile phone of choice is Nokia ka-torch. She kneels to greet men especially those older than her and always finds time to chat with her neighbours.
William Pike
The former managing director and Editor-in-Chief of The New Vision owns Capital Radio and Beat FM. He also has a media house in Kenya. He is one of those people who can write you a dollar cheque and it will never bounce. For many years, he drove a Toyota Corolla when some of the people under him were driving Benzes. He has no problem walking a journey or using a taxi when in a rush. A few times, Pike was seen at Bugolobi Leisure Centre watching soccer on TV while standing in the crowd.
Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala
Despite being the head of the Catholic Church in Uganda and controlling huge resources, Cardinal Wamala chose to not to build himself a comfortable retirement home. Instead, he retired into a house built for retired priests at Nsambya. He even turned down an offer to settle in the UK after retirement. One day in the 1990s, medical workers at Rubaga Hospital were thrown in disarray when they noticed the Cardinal in the out-patient clinic queue. They offered to attend to him first, but he insisted on queueing.
Cyrus Muwonge a.k.a Ngaga
He is the proprietor of Hunter and Greg, an audit firm, which reviews Cocacola and Nile Breweries’ books of accounts. He has rental buildings occupying half of Kitezi town and also owns land in Buganda. He breeds and sells dogs for security work to embassies. He has about 250 Friesian cattle for milk and 150 head of cattle for beef. His poultry farm has about 10, 000 chicken layers and 5,000 broilers. His farm produces about 3,000 litres of milk daily. Despite this, Muwonge is often seen driving an Isuzu Forward truck with elephant grass to his farm. He also has an old model of Peugeot 505. He mostly cuts the grass for his cattle and participates in the feeding. He often hires out his truck for community work.
John Tibyasa
He is the mayor of Masaka Municipality and has been so for more than ten years. He owns land in Kalisizo town and other properties in Masaka. He also has land in Lungujja, Kampala.
He is the only leader who is elected without campaigning; all he does is raising his thumb and he says, “Abewo!â€. (no change). The reason, according to Masaka people, is he is a very honest person who does not misappropriate the municipal funds.
Tibyasa drives an old model Mercedes Benz that he has owned for years.
Aga Sekalala Senior
He is the owner of Ugachick, a big poultry breeding and selling firm in Uganda. He has two commercial buildings on Namirembe road, another near Pride theatre and other properties in Kampala. He is the main exporter of vanilla.
But you will find him driving an old model of vehicle cream in colour or bump into him moving about town with gumboots or feeding his chicken at the poultry house.
Asuman Njubi
He is a prominent man in the fisheries industry and owns a fleet of boats. He has a big hotel in Iganga town and several storied buildings. He formerly owned Nalubaale Football club. He also owns big pieces of land in Iganga.
He drives an ordinary vehicle and is often seen taking walks with his employees.