Nexus owner was set to marry fiancé

Ivan Kakooza 37, the owner of Nexus Lounge, a popular bar and entertainment place in Najjera,was laid to rest recently at Kamengo on Masaka Road. He succumbed to Covid-19 on October 9 at Mulago Hospital, where he had been admitted for weeks.



Born on october 11, 1982, ivan passed away on two days before his 38th birthday and his bar's fourth anniversary. "Plans by the bar association members were underway for his birthday on Sunday. He was a whiskey lover, so we were supposed to pop bottles that day, but it is sad he has passed on," said Tesfalem Gherathu, the association  chairman, at the vigil.

At the vigil, the chairman of the Legit Bar owners Association trolled the Government for delaying to open up bars. "The Government should also consider us.  Our brother, before passing on, was stressed since his only source of income had closed," said Gherathu.

After successfully establishing Nexus Lounge, Ivan took a gamble to diversify into events management, thus starting Nexus Events, a company that had picked momentum before the coronavirus pandemic hit the world.

His first organised show at Lugogo Hockey Grounds last year in September was a nightmare. Headlined by Tanzania's Ali Kiba, it did not turn out like he expected. It is alleged that ivan took fat loans from different institutions (banks and moneylenders) to sustain his new venture, with the aim of servicing them with proceeds from the events business, as well as the bar.

The lockdown hit him hard when all entertainment businesses were closed. Ivan was left with no source of income to service his huge loan liabilities, yet creditors were not ready to listen to coronavirus excuses. demand notices became the order of the day, with threats to attach some of his  property, thus the stress and depression.

 Ivan's love life 

Ivan was secretive, especially when it came to his love life. His brother, Swaliki Mutebi, told mourners at a vigil in Kungu that he had plans of being introduced by his fiancée days after being discharged from the hospital. "He told me that while at Mulago Hospital where I had gone to check on him."

 Education and employment background  

Charles, Ivan's old friend, said in their school days, Ivan was a sharp and very dedicated man. "At Kyambogo College School, he was brilliant, exquisite and his grades spoke for him," he said.

Throughout his A'level and university years, Ivan was sponsored by the Government. He later graduated from Makerere University as an electrical engineer.

Festo, another friend, remembers ivan's university days. "He would lead us in course work and discussions during our stay at Livingstone Hall at Makerere University," he says.

Ivan travelled the world courtesy of his engineering skills. First, he worked with Erickson, a mobile phone giant, then and his first salary was sh8m per month reportedly. Because he did not want to settle for less, he joined another big company, Huawei and worked with their different branches in Nigeria, Rwanda and Botswana.

 Meeting about Ivan's wealth postponed 

A meeting about ivan's riches had been scheduled this week on Tuesday, but was pushed to next month. He left behind a bakery (Nexus Loaf), an unfinished mansion in Kungu, a fleet of expensive cars, as well as a bar and events company, among other businesses.

Swaliki Mutebi, his brother and business partner, confirmed the development. "I was a co-director and signatory to my late brother, which means all is well with his bar and other businesses," said Mutebi.

About the land on which Nexus Lounge sits, Mutebi added that it is also ‘safe'. "We have a 20-year lease for this land so there is no way we will be evicted from it because we have only used three years," he added.

 Friends eulogise ivan Kakooza 

He sought advice on COVID-19 — Isaac

Isaac Rucci eulogised Ivan as one who sought advice when he was troubled.

"Ivan was there for me when I had a situation where I was so compromised. I was also in Mulago for 10 days after contracting the same disease. He called me for advice on how he could manage his sickness. People thought he was just hiding away from them and yet he was sick and sparing them from the infection," Rucci narrated at the burial.

Rucci's relationship with Ivan started with helping him organise an event at Kololo Airstrip a couple of years back. Due to the lockdown, he diverged into delivering pizzas and chicken.

We will share with his family whatever we get from the President — elvis sekyanzi

Ivan was part of the entourage of Events Association members that were supposed to meet the President next week.

"We had to conclude on what we started with the Government, but it is sad he passed on. Whatever we get from the President will be passed on to the family."

In 2010, the Events Association in Uganda was started and it is said that Ivan embraced the membership. Balaam Barugahara, a member of the association, said: "He was not my friend, but a friend to most of my friends. We had plans of grouping to make one concert as the Events Association."

Slick Stuart says there is no bar in Uganda that has hosted DJs like Ivan did for the past three years at Nexus.

A dreamer and a go-getter

To J. K Kazoora, Ivan was a friend who once hosted his birthday at his bar and drinks were on the house. "He called me to advise him when he was buying this place and told me he was leaving Erickson to concentrate on Nexus," he said.

"In case you needed something, he was there to save. We gonna miss him."

He was like a father to all his workers — Terry nabunnya, HR nexus

"He once told me he loves working with we, young people, because we are energetic. He was a boss and mentor who used to abuse us, but with facts."

She added: "Ivan felt for everyone and whoever he fired was because they continued doing the same mistakes. He was a good person."

Emmanuel, who owns a brick making factory next to Nexus Lounge, narrates that they struggled together to build Nexus and kept expanding it.