LEGEND: Katatumba bought himself a bicycle at the age of 7

Bonny was born on April 3, 1946, in Mbarara. He was the youngest in a family of five brothers and four sisters.

He attended Nyamitanga Catholic Parish Primary School, before proceeding to Ibanda Junior School, where he was enrolled on a Shell BP scholarship.

From Ibanda Junior, he moved to Ntare School, Mbarara and later to Old Kampala High School, where he completed his secondary education.

In 1969, he joined Makerere University, where he later graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Economics in 1971.

He held a number of honorary awards from various institutions in the US and Europe and served as president of Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industries, was a member of Economic Policy Research Centre and chairman of United Nations G77 Chamber of Commerce and Industry Developing Countries, among others.

Katatumba spent much of his early life in Mbarara, before moving to Kampala in the late 1960s. In Mbarara, he drafted himself into the murky waters of business, which saw him buy a bicycle at an early age of only seven years.

The bicycle later became a symbol of success among his peers. This, as many would say, built the foundation for Katatumba's keen interest in a business that later leads to him venture where others would not.

Bonny Katatumba, his wife Gertrude and their daughter Angella in a Family talk during his 59th birthday on April 2, 2005. Photo by Ronald Kabuubi

In school, his parents worried about his continued poor performance, which twice made him repeat Primary Two and Three, blaming his juice business as the main cause for his poor performance.

However, in the latter part of his primary education, Katatumba started to excel and was awarded a Shell BP scholarship.

As he waited for his Senior Four exam results, Katatumba placed a bid to run Ankole Kingdom Nganwa Hostel after reading an advert that had been published inviting bids for the service.

Godfrey Binaisa with Bonny Katatumba at a conference in 2010

Given his age, this was indeed a daring move but fortunately, Katatumba won the bid and ran the hostel for two complete years, before moving to Kampala to take his studies at Old Kampala High School.

Katatumba was a well-known figure in business circles in Uganda and abroad. He was the head of Katatumba Group of Companies, a chain of businesses in education and the Honorary Consul of Pakistan in Uganda hospitality.

Katatumba showing the former Mayor of Kampala, John Ssebaana Kizito a proposed plan of Katatumba suites during a courtesy visit to the mayor's office in Kampala on July 15, 2005.

In Mbarara, from where he hailed, he was responsible for a great deal of development and promoting education through Katatumba academy; the first international school in Uganda. 

He was the owner of properties like Hotel Diplomat, Katatumba Academy, and Katatumba Suites, Katatumba Resort Hotel all under the Katatumba Properties Limited.

Katatumba also authored a book titled "Success is around the Corner" The book chronicles his life rising from a herds boy to a millionaire and diplomat.

Katatumba and his wife celebrating his 59th birthday