Ten years ago, on the 15th of January, 2013, One of Uganda’s wealthiest individuals, industrialist and Rotarian, Ambassador James Ssenkaali Mulwana, passed away at the age of 77. Mr. James Mulwana (1936 – 2013), was an outstanding entrepreneur who had been doing business for almost all his life.
Born in Masiriba, Ssingo, currently Mityana district, Mulwana was a person who came from a humble background but he struggled to make it to the top of the business pyramid of this nation. He was also a person of limited education but that didn’t constrain him from mastering the art of making money.
Mulwana, who was at one point a nightclub bouncer, went on to venture into business, thereby starting what is one of the biggest conglomerates in Uganda and East Africa at large, which is called the MULWANA GROUP OF COMPANIES.
Mulwana Group includes businesses such as JESA Farm Dairy, Uganda batteries Ltd, Nice house of
plastics, and Nsimbe Estates in Maya. Mulwana is one of the very few businessmen whose impact could be felt across this entire country.
The products from his companies were used by almost everyone. If you liked milk, Mulwana got you sorted through Jesa milk, if you had a car, Uganda batteries always had a car battery for you. He also sorted us out with plastics ranging from pens, plastic plates, and cups, chairs, buckets, basins, dustbins, toothbrushes, etc. This is how powerful Mulwana was.
James Mulwana, who died a multi-billionaire, was also involved in the starting of Uganda
Manufacturer’s Association (UMA), is a body that is meant to unite all manufacturers in Uganda. He always kept a low profile and let his money talk for him.
He wasn’t so much involved in Politics and loved his Kabaka so much. He left behind a widow, Sarah Mulwana, and children who including Barbara Mulwana, Geoffrey Mulwana, and Primrose Mulwana.
Apart from business, Mulwana was also a Rotarian, he also used to sit on the boards of several companies including Standard chattered Bank and many others. He was also the honorary consul of
Thailand in Uganda.
