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Mr. Hamis Kiggundu | |
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Born |
Masaka, Uganda | February 10, 1984
Nationality | Ugandan |
Siglum | HAM |
Education | Kabojja International School, Munyonyo |
Alma mater | School of Law, Makerere University, Kampala (Bachelor of Laws) |
Occupation(s) | Businessman, entrepreneur, investor, lawyer, |
Years active | 2003–present |
Notable work | Nakivubo Stadium |
Awards | Business Motivation Book of the Year 2018, Uganda |
Website | Home Page |
Hamis Kiggundu (born February 10, 1984), commonly known as Ham, [1] [2] [3] [4] is a Ugandan businessman, investor, real estate and property developer, philanthropist, [5] author and lawyer.
Kiggundu is the CEO of the Ham Group of Companies, and the author of Success and Failure Based on Reason and Reality and Reason as the World Masterpiece. [6]
He is one of the wealthiest people in Uganda with an alleged estimated net worth of US$1.02 billion, he employees 7000 people (March 2021 Forbes). [7] [8] [9]
Kiggundu was born in 1984 in the Kalungu Masaka District in the Central Region of Uganda. Kiggundu is among the children of Haruna Segawa and Nakayiza Jalia, who is part of a family with extensive property investments in Kampala. [10] [11] [12]
Kiggundu was born and raised in a Muslim family. He talks about Islam as "the highest achievement of a lifetime" and that he would not choose another religion. [13]
He attended his elementary education in Masaka, later joined Kabojja International School in Kampala for his high school education, [14] [11] [12] and later graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelors of Laws. [15]
He joined the Law Development Centre where he graduated with a diploma in legal practice. [16] [17]
The Ham Group was established in 2005 as a trading enterprise trading in garments. Hamis used to support his father Hajji. Segawa in his textile shop from where he learnt basic business principles. [18] And during middle school holidays his father gave him capital to start his own venture. [12] [19] As business burgeoned, he started buying and selling land and properties and In 2009 he incorporated Ham Enterprises (U) Ltd and advanced to constructing and owning commercial properties. [20] In 2010, Kiggundu started erection of Ham towers, his first commercial tower at the Makerere suburb of Kampala city. According to billionaires.Africa, having mastered the commercial real estate trifles with reference to lessons learnt from his first project, Kiggundu was able to move a bit faster and within 18 months, he had built his second property, Ham Shopping Mall. [12] With combined rental income coming from both properties, he was able to easily secure more financing with the banks, for other projects given his reasonable collateral. [2] [10] [13]
The Group diversified into large scale industrialization in 2021, mainly focusing on Agro-processing and value addition. According to the Forbes report on Uganda By Penresa, Hamis embarked on a US$156 million project in the central region where a pilot advanced Integrated Agro-Processing Industrial Plant (IAIP) was setup at Akright City to add value on Uganda's Agro produce. [10] [21]
In 2015, President Museveni on behalf of the Uganda government entered into a PPP arrangement with Kiggundu to redevelop and upgrade Nakivubo Stadium into a modern sports facility. [22] [23] [24] On April 25, 2024, during the commissioning of the stadium, President Museveni disclosed that Hamis Kiggundu (Ham) was granted a 49-year lease on the stadium. [25] This arrangement allows Ham to recover his investment in the construction and any profits earned before the government decides on whether to take over management or renew the lease with Ham. [26]
In early 2017, the reconstruction of Nakivubo Stadium commenced with demolishment of existing structures [27] [23] paving the way for the initiation of new construction works. The renovation expanded the seating capacity from 30,000 to 35,000 and added modern facilities. [28] [29] [30]
The reconstruction of Nakivubo stadium is estimated to cost US$200 Millions and to have various facilities like screens, chairs, floodlights, parking space. [31] [32]
In 2023, the reconstruction process was partially completed. [30]
Hamz Navikubu stadium formerly Nakivubo stadium was commissioned by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on 25 April 2024. [33] During the commissioning ceremony, President Museveni praised Hamis Kiggundu for his forward-thinking development strategies. [34] He also assured government support for Kiggundu's ventures in the Ham Agro-Processing Industries, highlighting a commitment to nurturing local entrepreneurial efforts that contribute to national progress. [35] [36]
In April 2020 Kiggundu donated food relief to Uganda's COVID-19 task force. [37] He also donated food supplies to over 100 Ugandan journalists through the Uganda Journalists Association, [38] but was also criticized for providing cash handouts to journalists. [39]
In July 2021, Kiggundu donated to the Uganda Government a total of USh 530 million to help in the purchase COVID-19 vaccine doses for Ugandans and additionally called upon other able Ugandans and corporate entities to join him in saving lives as a way of giving back to the Ugandan Community. [40] [41] [42]
In January 2024, Hamis Kiggundu contributed to urban environmental enhancement by donating 100,000 Royal palm trees to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). [43] To ensure successful planting, a team of his staff was deployed to assist KCCA in planting these trees along the streets of Kampala. This initiative was part of a broader greening campaign, underscoring Kiggundu's commitment to fostering a cleaner, greener, and more aesthetically pleasing cityscape. [44]
In February 2020, Kiggundu sued Africa's Diamond Trust Bank for allegedly defrauding him for over US$30 million (USh 34.29 billion and US$23.4 million) under what he called "unclear debits" from his bank accounts over a spread period of ten years. [45]
In October 2020, Kiggundu won the case and the Ugandan High Court ordered Diamond Trust Bank to refund all the unlawfully withdrawn monies totalling to USh 34.29 billion and US$23.4 million, [46] [47] with an additional 8% interest for legal costs. [48] The court additionally ordered the bank to unconditionally release/discharge all mortgages allegedly created over all Kiggundu's properties and all corporate and personal guarantees issued by Kiggundu. The court also issued a permanent injunction to prevent DTB from enforcing the mortgages over Kiggundu's properties. [45] DTB Bank later appealed the decision in the High Court and were issued an injunction halting payment of the monies. [49] [50]In may 2021, the court of Appeal ordered for a retrial of the case back in the lower court( the High Courtof Uganda)with a new Judge [51] [52]and Ham quickly took action to challenge the appellate court's decision by escalating the case to the Supreme Court for further review and during the legal proceedings, the bank acknowledged that it had violated the banking regulations of Uganda. [53] [54] Ham therefore applied for court judgment in his favor, leveraging the fact that the bank had confessed to breaking the law. [55]
On June 13, 2023, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo and other justices, also sent the case back to the High Court for a new trial, focusing on factual aspects after resolving legal issues in the appeal. [56] [57] [58]
The Judge's Controversial Disclaimer
On June 29, 2023, Justice Percy Tuhaise of the Uganda Supreme Court alleged that she was under pressure from Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo to deliver a verdict in this high-stakes legal battle which raised significant concerns about judicial integrity and independence. according to the "disclaimer," despite unresolved legal applications and the objections of Ham's counsel, the judgment was pronounced, leading to a public outcry and calls for an investigation into the judicial process. The matter was subsequently escalated to the Constitutional Court, highlighting serious issues within the judicial system. [59] [60]
Aggreived by the court decision, Kiggundu petitioned the Constitutional Court to nullify a Supreme Court ruling that ordered a retrial in his financial dispute with Diamond Trust Bank Uganda and Kenya, involving over 120 billion Shillings. Kiggundu argued the ruling was unconstitutional and ignored legal procedures, potentially harming Uganda's financial regulation. [61] [62]He sought to expunge the Supreme Court's proceedings and obtain a permanent injunction against the banks and the Attorney General. [63]
Arbitration
In November 2023, This long-standing financial and legal dispute with Diamond Trust Bank was amicably resolved. Ham and Nasim Devji, the group CEO of Diamond Trust Bank reached a mutual agreement in a private meeting to drop all court cases. This decision was made to preserve their 11-year banking relationship and to foster future financial collaboration. [64] [65]
In November 2022, Kiggundu sued the Kabaka of Buganda and the Commissioner Land registration in the Ministry of Lands over cancellation of land titles of Kigo Land that sits on 140 acres. [66]
In 2018 Kiggundu was given an award as an acknowledgement for his book, Success and Failure Based on Reason and Reality. It was nominated the best book of the year in the category of "Business Motivation" at an event held by the Book Forum of Uganda in Kampala. [1]
In August 2023, Hamis scooped The Pan African Pyramid Global award 2023 in the category African Renaissance and Iconic Development Entrepreneur Award. [67] [68] [69] [70] [71]
Inspired by the iconic White House architecture, Kiggundu erected a replica in Uganda's Akright City, along the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway. [72] [73] This impressive building serves as the nerve center for all of his enterprises, doubling as the administrative hub for the esteemed Ham Integrated Agro Processing Industries. [74]This initiative, revealed in conversations with YouTuber Wode Maya in April 2023, [75] symbolizes Kiggundu's belief in the potential for success within Africa, Kiggundu aimed to challenge and reshape the aspirations of young Africans influenced by Hollywood's portrayal of American life. [76] Through this project, Kiggundu seeks to influence perceptions and inspire belief in local opportunities among the African youth. [77] Beyond its symbolic value, the White House replica reflects Kiggundu's broader commitment to economic and communal development, with a focus on leveraging agro-processing and value addition as key drivers of growth. [75] [78]
The Ham Palm Villas, conceived by Hamis Kiggundu, represents a significant real estate venture in Uganda, located on the outskirts of Kampala. [72] [79] This project, launched in 2019, comprises 1,125 units, including 500 homes and villas, alongside 625 apartments, and aims to provide a luxurious living experience. [80] [81] Inspired by the desire to stem the tide of Ugandans seeking better living conditions abroad, Kiggundu sought to create a high-standard residential area that mirrors the comfort found in developed countries. Situated in Kajjansi Town Council near key transport routes like the Entebbe Expressway, the development is part of a broader vision to enhance local infrastructure and living standards while promoting sustainable urban growth. [82]
Hamz brand is part of Kiggundu business story which he started in 2021 consisting of fashion, innovation and cultural and developmental changes of Uganda. Hamz also includes sports sector that is to say Hamz stadium which is a sports and community engagement, streaming apps and online payment platforms. [83]
Hamz fashion
Hamz stores consist of black and white T-shirts, notebooks, sleek pens, caps, hats, bangles and umbrellas. [83]
Hamz Sports Club
Hamz sports club is an athletic organization used as a platform for society transformation and youth empowerment through sports, education and health. [83] It includes Hamz stadium which was formerly Nakivubo stadium before renovation, [84] [85] [86] and also Hamz sports club in Kigo, Wakiso. [83]
Hamz Limited
Hamz Limited is a digital innovation which includes digital services like e-commerce and online payments for Ugandans to connect and transact through technology. [83] Under Hamz limited includes subsidiaries and platforms like Hamz App, [87] Hamz Line, Hamz Wave, Hamz Chart, Ham Pay, Hamz Club, Hamz E-mall, Hamz Agro and Hamz Campus which are found on the internet web, Ham App Store, playstore and IOS stores. [88] [89]
Residence
Hamis Kiggundu resides in Kampala, Uganda, in a luxurious estate valued at $32 million, spanning 479,160 square feet. [90]Known as "Ham’s Residence," this expansive property was constructed in 2014 and has been featured in interviews with Wodemaya and Miss Trudy, highlighting Kiggundu’s affluent lifestyle. [91]
Style and Preferences
Kiggundu exhibits a strong preference for a monochromatic color scheme, favoring shades of grey, black, and white. [92] This preference is not only evident in his personal wardrobe, which predominantly consists of black and white garments, with occasional grey pieces but also extends to his properties. The architectural and interior design of his estate reflects this color palette, emphasizing the simplicity, balance, and harmony that Kiggundu values in his life. [92] [93]
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