Ugandan businessman, Sudhir Ruparelia has kept his position at the top in the latest Forbes list of top 10 successful entrepreneurs in Uganda.

According to the list, there are no surprises in the top 10, which list is ruled by Ugandans of Asian origin with Karim Hirji, returning in position two while Mr Alykhan Karmali of the household Mukwano Group is number 3.

Businessmen Charles Mbiire, Gordon Wavamuno, and Patrick Bitature, who is in number 10 position make the portion of the indigenous Ugandans on the list.

Mr Ruparelia has consistently remained top of the list ever since Forbes started publishing it a few years ago.

Sudhir this year has unveiled a number of assets to his name key among them, Speke Apartments, Electrical Plaza and the magnificent Kampala Kingdom Mall. The businessman invests in hospitality, real estate, education and flouriculture among others where he employees a good number of Ugandans.

The list is as:

1.      Sudhir Ruparelia

Sudhir Ruparelia has consistently been topping this powerful list for several years.

Sudhir is famed for rising his fortune from US$25,000 which he saved from his hustle in the United Kingdom before he returned to Uganda in mid-1980s as a beverages merchant and later as a foreign currency dealer.

The city businessman has from scratch, built his empire that includes; hotels and other investments in the hospitality industry, real estate, floriculture education and the media, insurance and forex and until recently banking before his Crane Bank was controversially transferred to DFCU bank by the Central Bank.

2.     Karim Hijri

Regarded as the main force behind the presence of Dembe Group of Companies, Karim Hijri has attained an impressive feat as Uganda’s second wealthiest person. As the Dembe Group of Companies continually thrives through its subsidiaries such as Imperial Group of Hotels, Karim Hijri is declared to be worth US$750 million.

3.     Alykhan Kharmali

Until his death recently, the founder of Mukwano Industries, Alykhan Kharmali has been among the richest Ugandans for several decades.

According to Forbes Magazine he is one of the business architects of Uganda’s resurgence in 1990s with his popular household flagship.

Mukwano family has interests in banking, manufacturing, agriculture and real estate.

3.     Mohammed Hamid

Having emerged into Uganda’s class of richest personalities at a youthful age, Mohammed Hamid is considered a fortunate business colleague with huge investments in areas such as transportation, real estate, and manufacturing.

As the owner and originator of the Aya Group, which forms part of Uganda’s thriving companies, Mohammed Hamid’s net worth swirls around US$400 million.

5.     Charles Mbire

Since many of the richest Ugandans are of foreign descent, Charles Mbire claims a notable position as the wealthiest native Ugandan.

With his entire worth valued at US$350 million, Mbire is well known for his diverse business investments which span across transportation, agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, real estate, energy, and finance.

6.     Sikander Lalani

Other than his investment dealings which largely centre on the manufacturing sector, Lalani is the vital force behind the existence of Roofing Groups. Having established himself as an entrepreneur for a very long time, Sikander Lalani has acquired a sum of US$300 million as net worth.

7.     Aaron M. Mukooza

With regard to his large investments which heavily span across the media together with the banking sector, Mukooza has amassed some net worth valued at US$200 million.

8.     Gordon Wavamuno

As the best part of his wealth is believed to have stemmed from his automotive business, Gordon Wavamunno is immensely linked with the ownership of Spear House together with Spear Motors –his automotive company. Meanwhile, according to Forbes, he has the sum of $100 million as his overall worth.

9.     Mukesh Shukla

Shukla is reported to have acquired US$100 million as net worth mainly from his ownership of Shumuk Group of Companies –a successful company concerned with cooking utensils.

10. Patrick Bitature

Bitature is a wealthy personage who acquires the largest portion of his money through a giant telecom company, Simba Telcom, which he presides over.

As Simba Telcom Ltd is regarded as Uganda’s biggest seller/merchant of MTN airtime, Bitature’s wealth has surged perpetually. This year, he bounced back as the Chairman of the giant utility company, Umeme. His interest in hotel and hospitality has seen him immensely invest in hotel business with the opening of Naguru—Protea Hotel, and Marriott Protea Hotel in Kampala.

His current net worth is estimated to be US$100 million.

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A concerned Ugandan has dragged top officials of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) to the Inspectorate of Government for allegedly paying about Shs10 billion in salaries to staff that should have retired long ago.

“Under regulation 33(1) (2) of the security organisations regulation 2018, an officer may after his or her retirement be called to render special service to the security organisation on contract for three years and shall not exceed two terms. However, the said terms which came into existence in 1987 and as amended in 2018 have suffered a setback since they are not followed at all by the leadership,” the petitioner who preferred to remain anonymous says.

The whistle blower says that in 2012, eight members of staff who were retired under the terms before their amendment in 2018 have continued to be on the establishment under non clear terms. Even when the leadership was too formalized, then their two years contract would have ended in 2008 without further renewal. This has resulted into continuation on establishment and no- compatible payments of salaries on the eight for 11 years.

He said by the end of 2016 before the amendment of terms in 2018, 37 members of staff were salted for retirement under the old terms and therefore could not be accommodated by the amended terms to qualify for pension since they were already above 60 years by 1st July 2017.

“Most of the senior management team fall under this category and Col. Don Mugimba who falls under this category has vowed to fight the implementation of the amended terms without his  category benefiting by having the terms amended again to their benefits. This means that 37 staff have been on the establishment and earning salaries for now over two years without contracts,” he says.

“in 2017 and 2018, 48 staff pending retirement under the amended terms which  means that by 1^st July 2019, they were entitled to their pension and gratuity as provided for under the amended terms, but still this has remained unclear due to the insider fighting,” the petitioner says adding that 48 staff have been working  and earning a salary for now two  years without contracts.

He also says at the beginning of July 2019, 16 members of staff were due for retirement and they were entitled to their pension and gratuity as provided for under the amended terms.  However, he says, this has remained unclear due to the insider fighting and efforts to award them contracts is not forthcoming because the retirees under three consider themselves as the determinants to award contracts to themselves and others who applied for contracts but who they consider not worthwhile.

The whistle blower also notes that the pensions and gratuity funds could have been diverted by the leadership for personal gains.

When contacted for a comment, IGG, Justice Irene Mulyagonja acknowledged receiving the petition and said her office was still studying document before the launch investigations.

“It is true, I have received that petition but for now, the issues raised are being studied by our officials before we commence inquiries into them” Justice Mulyagonja said in an interview.

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