Ugandans and Asians, a rich history of mixed feelings

About forty five years ago, Idi Amin embarked on a campaign to remove Asians from this country. He expropriated their homes and businesses. He called them bloodsuckers. As they trooped to the airport and crowded the highways, his soldiers robbed them along the way.

Now, with Mr. Amin's reign of terror long over, there are strong signs of an Asian revival here. Many, although not most, of the Asians that Mr. Amin expelled have picked up their lives in Uganda again. Their role in the country's economy rivals the influence they had in the 1970's that so infuriated the dictator.

Thousands of Asians flee Uganda after Amin’s expulsion in 1972

Although they represent less than 1 percent of the country's population, Asians own Ugandan banks, hotels and foreign exchange bureaus. They manufacture soap, bicycles, jewelry and tissue paper. They run pharmacies, sell insurance and dominate the sugar industry.

Drop by an upmarket hotel, café or restaurant in Uganda’s capital Kampala, chances are that the owner will be an Asian from the Indian Sub-continent or Pakistanis.

Ugandan-Asian tax revenue contributions

1972 - 90% of total receipts

1985 - 30%

2016 - 65%

Source: Indian Association of Uganda

There are an estimated 15,000 Asians living in Uganda today, far fewer than the 80,000 or so, mostly Indians and Pakistanis, during Mr. Amin's time. But estimates put the amount of investment that they have made in Uganda over the past decade at somewhere close to $1 billion.

These days, Uganda's richest men have names like Madhvani, Hirji and Ruparelia. Some of them contribute more in tax money than the combined populations of entire districts.

One of the tycoons is Sudhir Ruparelia, who was a child when Mr. Amin ordered Asians out. He stayed and today he owns a country club, various hotels and office buildings, an international school, a bank, an insurance company and a flower farm. His main office is a busy place full of many employees not only of Indian descent but with many black ones as well.

Sudhir Rupaleria (R), with President Museveni. Sudhir is the richest man in Uganda with a net worth of 1.1 B USD

Still, the resentment that many black Ugandans felt toward Asians in the years after independence has not gone away. At the same time, Ugandan Asians say they feel welcome despite continued complaints about their economic clout.

Some of the Companies owned by Asians in Uganda today include the following

Sugar & Allied Industries Limited – Owned by Alam Family

Mukwano Group – Owned Alykhan Karmali

Mara Group – Owned by Ashish J. Thakkar

Aya Group – Owned by Mohammed Hamid

Tirupati Group Limited – Owned by Miraj Harshad Barot

Shumuk Group – Owned by Mukesh Shukla

Roofings Group – Owned by Sikander Lalani

And of course

Ruparelia Group – Owned by Sudhir Ruparelia