KAARO KARUNGI | MBARARA – Mbarara City is a city in the Western Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial centre of Mbarara District and the site of the district headquarters.
Mbarara is an important transport hub, lying west of Masaka on the road to Kabale, near Lake Mburo National Park. This is about 270 kilometres (168 mi), by road, southwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital and oldest city. The coordinates of the Mbarara central business district are 00 36 48S, 30 39 30E (Latitude:-0.6132; Longitude:30.6582). The city lies at an average elevation at about 1,147 metres (3,763 ft) above sea level
Mbarara came from behind and developed to surpass Entebbe, Masaka, Gulu, and Jinja. As of 2014, Mbarara is the second-largest city in Uganda after Kampala and also second to Kampala in importance, industry, and infrastructure.
Starting with 2000, modern buildings have been established including malls, arcades, plaza, and hotels. Modern hospitals have also been constructed including Mbarara Hospital, which is now a Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara Community Hospital, a private hospital located in Kyamugorani, Kakiika Division, and Mayanja Memorial Hospital, located in Nyamityobora Kakoba Division.
In May 2019, the Uganda’s cabinet granted Mbarara city status, which started on 1 July 2020.
These are the prominent figures that have been behind the growth of Mbarara town to City Status
WILSON TUMWINE – Former Mayor
Not only is he one of Mbarara Municipality’s longest-serving Mayors, but Tumwine is also one of the biggest property and real estate owners in the town. His hotel, Pelikan Hotel on Bananuka drive was once one of the most sought after hosting all conferences and premiere events in the town. Tumwine also owns CTM Building that houses Standard Chartered Bank, Tuwereza Bakery and his hardware warehouse and over 200 rental units in Lugazi and Kakoba.
MUHUMUZA APOLLO BARYA – Hardware and Real estate Mogul
Apollo Barya is the brain behind Barya Plaza on Mackansigh Street and Barya Hardware on Mbaguta Drive right opposite the signature ‘Mahembe Gente’ at the heart of Mbarara City. Barya is the Chairman of the Mbarara Investments Club – a billionaire’s group of who is who in the City that has pushed for the city status since 2011.
FRED KAFOKO – Hotel, Radio and Club owner
Anyone who has been to Mbarara knows Vision Empire – one of the oldest clubs in the town. The club, Vision Radio, Big Fun Entertainment on Booma Hill among other prime properties are owned by Fred Kafoko – the husband to Pearl of Africa Music Award winner, Agatha Kafoko. As far as movers and shakers of Mbarara go, Kafoko is on top of the list.
ALEX MUHANGI – Hardware and Hotel owner
Muhangi – not the late Charles Muhangi – is the owner of Hotel Kash and Kash General Hardware. The hardware has been in existence since 2003.
AGGREY TWIMUKYE – Commercial buildings and Hotel owner
Twimukye has a good share of investment in Mbarara’s meteoric rise to city status. He owns Oxford Hotel, Adit House and the new Adit Mall, the megastructure opposite Bank of Uganda’s Mbarara Currency centre.
GODFREY KACHUMA – GBK Diaries
One of the founding companies in Mbarara, GBK Diaries along Kabale Road has brought to the Ugandan market pasteurized milk, yoghurt and other by-products that have given farmers valuable returns on their investment. The factory later expanded into the mineral water space capitalizing on the River Rwizi proximity.
The owner, Godfrey Kachuma has since moved into real state erecting a commercial plaza on the T-junction connecting Buremba Road to Bananuka Drive and the Bishop Wills Street/Garage street just adjacent to Central Market.
APOLLO KIRIMI – Supermarket and Real Estate
One of Mbarara’s most indigenous and organic businessmen, Apollo Kirimi is the proprietor of Kirimi Supermarket, a plaza that is also hosting commercial rooms to let on Buremba Road. The supermarket, one of the oldest in Mbarara has undergone a series of facelifts to the current towering two floor setup – a perfect metaphor for the far Mbarara city has come.
PROF. HOSEA MUHANGUZI – Hosma Bookshop
Originally from Bushenyi, Muhanguzi is one of Mbarara’s first serious property owners. His storied building on Mbaguta Street that houses Hosma Bookshop was the beginning on the town’s renaissance and the bookshop, the first of its kind in the region.
LEO BEYAGIRA – Global Coaches
He came, he saw and he conquered. Before the Global Coaches dominance, the Kampala – Mbarara route was plied mostly by Horizon Coaches of Charles Muhangi and later Swift Safaris Buses – a joint venture between Hajji Musa Matovu and Leo Beyagira. When Matovu passed on in 2010, the business was plagued by conflict forcing Beyagira to go solo – starting Global Coaches.
The company now boasts of more than 90 buses, eight courier and cargo trucks and several minibuses. No doubt, Beyagira and Hajji Matovu contributed to Mbarara’s development by making it more accessible, increasing its day and night time population.
EDWARD KAZAIRE – Herbal Products Manufacturing
By the age of 33, Kazire was already a household name in western Uganda because of his herbal clinics and health drinks. His business empire, Kazire Health Products Ltd is valued at over sh10b and he employs about 300 people.
HONORARY MENTIONS
The story of Mbarara would also be incomplete without giving special attention to Ibabaza Fred Kamugira, the LC.5 chairman that took the district to a Municipality Status, the late Charles Muhangi whose Horizon Coaches brought people from all walks of life to work, study and invest in Mbarara.
Also worth mention is the current Mayor Robert Kakyebezi in whose regime Mbarara attained the city status. Francis Mwebesa of the Kakoba Steel Manufacturing Company, Barnabas Taremwa of Kosiya Hotel and Services Apartments, James Tumusiime of Igongo Cultural Centre and Country Hotel, Fene of Lake View Hotel – the first three-star hotel in the city and Martin Kananura – the headmaster of Mbarara Municipal School.
Attributes : wikipedia
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