Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige

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Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige
Born(1953-10-02)2 October 1953[1]
Uganda
Died10 September 2021(2021-09-10) (aged 67)
Nairobi, Kenya
Burial placeNkoowe, Wakiso District
CitizenshipUganda
OccupationsBusinessman and entrepreneur
Notable workMy story of building a fortune in Africa[2]
TitleChairman of the BMK Group of Companies[3]

Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige, (2 October 1953 – 10 September 2021),[4] commonly known as BMK, was a Ugandan businessman, entrepreneur, and hotel owner. According to a 2012 published report, he was one of the wealthiest people in Uganda.[5]

Background

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Bulayimu Muwanga kivumbi a 14 year old school drop out strated to work in hhis father's restaurant in Masaka before starting his trading related works. He opened up some trading outlets in Kampala, Nairobi, Bangkok and Thailand between 1973 and 1976. Hailing from Matanga in Buddu County- Masaka District, in 1986 he started a general trade and manufacturing company. He was known for his investments in real estate, construction equipments, motorcycle distributorships and foreign exchange bureaus across East and Central Africa. BMK is the brain behind bodaboda rides in Uganda - a transport mechanism that was used mostly at the boarder of Uganda and Kenya. He later started exporting them direct from Japan thus the boda boda culture was started. In 1997, BMK started with the 40-room motel Hotel Africana, on Kololo Hill, located in Kampala's central business district. Over the next decade, the hotel grew into a four-star establishment.[6]

Business interests

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BMK was the chairman and managing director of the BMK Group of companies, whose member businesses include:[7]

1. Hotel Africana Kampala, 2-4 Wampewo Avenue, Kololo Hill, Kampala, Uganda

2. Hotel Africana Moroto, Moroto City, Uganda[8]

3. Hotel Africana Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia

4. BMK Motorcycles (U) Limited, Nateete, Kampala, Uganda

5. BMK Motorcycles (K) Limited, Nairobi, Kenya

6. BMK Motorcycles (T) Limited, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

7. BMK Motorcycles (R) Limited, Kigali, Rwanda

8. BMK Motorcycles (Z) Limited, Lusaka, Zambia

9. Hotel Africana Forex Bureau 1, 2-4 Wampewo Avenue, Kampala, Uganda[9]

10. Hotel Africana Forex Bureau 2, 16-18 William Street, Kampala, Uganda

11. BMK Construction Leasing Company, Kigali, Rwanda

12. BMK Oil Equipment Company, Kampala, Uganda[10]

Other responsibilities

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BMK served in the following public positions:

1. Chairman of the Uganda Hotel Owners Association[11]

2. Board member of the Ugandan North American Association (UNAA)[12]

3. Chairman Executive Board for Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation[13]

Other awards

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Bulayimu Muwanga Kivumbi was awarded a doctorate of Philosophy in Humanities at the United Graduate College and Seminary in 2014. In the same year, he received a Diaspora lifetime award for Entreprenuership in East and Central African region. [14]

Illness and death

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BMK had been battling cancer for some time before his death. He was admitted to a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, for some time, before he died there on 10 September 2021, at the age of 67.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kalumba, Edward (7 October 2013). "Omugagga BMK Awezezza Emyaka 60, Alojja Bw'asimattuse Okufa Emirundi 3". Bukedde.co.ug (in Ganda). Kampala. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  2. ^ Jjuuko, Denis (25 March 2021). "Biography of BMK should spur the next generation". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Bmk Group – Welcome". Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  4. ^ "City businessman BMK dead". Daily Monitor. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  5. ^ Michael Kanaabi and Ssebidde Kiryowa (6 January 2012). "Uganda: The Deepest Pockets". New Vision. Kampala, Uganda. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  6. ^ Newvision, Archive (22 August 2006). "Hotel Africana Celebrates 9 Years". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  7. ^ Muwanga, David (30 December 2008). "Third World Easier To Invest In, Says BMK". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  8. ^ Sydona Nazze (21 November 2020). "Hotel Africana opens in Moroto". Kampala: PML Daily. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  9. ^ BOU (2013). "Licensed Forex Bureau In Uganda As of 2013" (PDF). Bank of Uganda (BOU). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  10. ^ Newvision, Archives (20 October 2006). "BMK Smells Bunyoro Oil Money". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  11. ^ Bwogi, Charles (15 July 2005). "URA Scraps Tax On Hotel Items". New Vision (Kampala). Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  12. ^ "About Ugandan North American Association". UNAA. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  13. ^ Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation (9 September 2021). "Board and Directors: Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation". Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  14. ^ "PROFILE: Who is BMK, one of the richest indigenous businessmen in Uganda?". 17 July 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  15. ^ Sean Musa Carter (10 September 2021). "Ugandan Businessman Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige aka BMK Dead, His Cause of Death". Blizz Uganda. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
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