If you are a business owner and entrepreneur, some of the things you never seem to have enough is time to celebrate yourself. Entrepreneurs like Dr Sudhir Ruparelia are always engrossed in ideas creation on how to grow and scale up your business. In the due process, they increase our economic growth and create more jobs for Bazzukulu.
In a surprise move, President Yoweri Museveni’s Muzzukulu and also a Senior Researcher at the Office of the National Chairman, Mr Ben Ssebuguzi, used his X account, formally Twitter, to serendipitously post an exhilarating birthday message that lifted up the spirit of Dr Sudhir.
The rich message is appreciating Sudhir for his unwavering commitment to invest in his motherland Uganda and then plough back the profits through reinvestment, unlike some tycoons who decide to invest their profits abroad according to Ssebuguzi.
When our reporter decided to ask Mr Ben Ssebuguzi to elucidate his birthday message, this is what he said, “Dr Sudhir is one of the clear examples of Uganda’s success story. Our country story from a politically and economically dilapidated economy in 1986 where our GDP was only $4b to $55b in 2024. By the time NRA took over power, the economy was in ruins and President Museveni restored political and economic order that saw the likes of Dr Sudhir who started their trade in 1986 to grow with the economy.”
“Previously, Ugandans used to line up to buy soap and sugar due to scarcity, so the importers of that time like Dr Sudhir used the peace to sustainability meet the demand of our basic necessities hence improving the quality of life of Ugandans,” his message adds.
Like any other business person, Sudhir has had some devastating setbacks like the illegal closure of his bank (Crane Bank) by the corrupt cartel from the Bank of Uganda. Good enough he was able to lift himself up and created a number of investments which have created numerous jobs for Bazukkulu. Before the liquidation of his bank, it had won different accolades in the industry as the leading bank dominating the international banks. Some SMEs found it hard times to access capital after the closure of the bank since their terms were most friendly to the business community.
Similarly, Dr Sudhir often received a bad reception from environmental crusaders when he is trying to establish capital-intensive social enterprises in wetlands. For example, he received backlash when he was constructing state of the art conference center, Speke Resort Convention Center which has hosted global conferences like NAAM and CAADP African Union summit which has elevated the status of our country in managing
Maybe what our people are ignorant about is that NEMA regulations,2000 allow sustainable development of wetlands through issuing a wetland resource use permit. So an investor in a wetland should have environmental risk mitigation measures approved by authorities.
Background
Dr Sudhir Ruparelia was born in 1956 in Kabatoro, Kasese in western Uganda. He is the Chairman and founder of the Ruparelia Foundation. Ruparelia Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of people in the communities. Over 200m shillings have been contributed towards medical bills, hospital renovations, purchase of essential equipment and free health camps.
In 2000, Sudhir’s son Rajiv Ruparelia constructed eco- toilet in Kamwokya. The bricks used to construct the toilet are made out of stuffing and compacting polyethene bags into plastic bottles.
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