Amirali Karmali

Amirali Karmali (commonly known as Mukwano) (1 January 1930 – 10 July 2019),[1] was a Ugandan businessman, entrepreneur, and industrialist. He was the chief executive officer, founder and proprietor of the Mukwano Group of Companies, a diverse conglomerate, with interests in banking, real estate, plastics, agro-processing, logistics, transportation and the manufacture of fast-moving consumer goods among others. At the time of his death, he was listed among Uganda's wealthiest individuals.[2]

Amirali Karmali
Born
Amirali Karmali

(1930-01-01)1 January 1930
Bukandula Village, Gomba District, Uganda
Died10 July 2019(2019-07-10) (aged 89)
Kololo, Kampala, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
Occupation(s)Businessman, entrepreneur, & industrialist
Years active1986 - 2019
TitleFormer Group & CEO
Mukwano Group of Companies
SpouseMrs Karmali

Background

Amirali Karmali was born circa 1930, in Bukandula Village, in present-day Gomba District, in the Buganda Region of Uganda to Ali Mohamed Karmali. Ali Mohamed Karmali had emigrated to East Africa in 1904, worked for some time in Mbarara and later settled in Bukandula. In Bukandula, he created a lucrative business, buying cotton and coffee from local farmers, while selling them household items and farm implements. He had very friendly demeanor and nick-named "Mukwano gwa Bangi" (Friend of Many), in the Luganda language. The family moved to Fort Portal, Kabarole District, where the young Karmali acquired a second hand truck and began transporting produce to Kampala.[3] Later Amirali relocated to Kampala, Uganda's capital city.[4]

Mukwano Group of Companies

When Idi Amin Dada, expelled Ugandan Asians in 1972, Amirali Karmali remained in Uganda. In 1986, he founded Mukwano Industries Limited, the flagship company of the Mukwano business empire. As of 2001, the conglomerate operated 46 different businesses, including expansion of the confectionery business to produce chewing gum, lollipops and chocolate. The pretax annual revenue that year was estimated at US$300 million.[5]

Other considerations

In 2011, Amirali Karmali was awarded the Order of the Nile (Class One) Medal, in recognition of his distinct performance in production and enterprise development. The award was bestowed as part of the Labor Day celebrations.[6][7]

Personal life

He was the father to Alykhan Karmali as well as photographer, Roshan Karmali.[8][9] He died at his home in the neighborhood called Kololo, in Kampala, on the evening of Wednesday 10 July 2019, at the age of 89 years. He was laid to rest in a cemetery on Archer Road, Kololo, Kampala, on 13 July 2019.[10]

References
  1. Apollo Mubiru (11 July 2019). "Mukwano Group of companies founder dead". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  2. Mfonobong Nsehe (6 November 2012). "Five Ugandan Multi-Millionaires You Should Know". Forbes.com. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  3. Martin Ssebuyira (11 May 2011). "The Fruits of Dedication". Daily Monitor Mobile. Kampala. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  4. Chimp Reports Staff (11 July 2019). "Amirali Karmali Mukwano, 89, Dies". Kampala: Chimp Reports Uganda. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  5. Michael Wakabi (3 December 2001). "Mukwano: There's Pride in Doing Business in Uganda". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  6. Henry Mukasa (2 May 2011). "Museveni Honours Senior Citizens". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  7. Uganda Radio Network (11 July 2019). "Mukwano Industries empire founder Amirali Karmali dead". The Observer (Uganda). Kampala. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  8. Modelmayhem.com (2019). "Roshan Karmali: Female Photographer, Kampala, Uganda". Modelmayhem.com. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  9. Ugpulse (19 June 2006). "Ugandan Artists: Meet Photographer Roshan Karmali". Kampala: Ugpulse.com. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  10. Monitor Reporter (13 July 2019). "Industrialist Mukwano Laid To Rest". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
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