By Andrew Irumba Katusabe [Sankara]
ENTEBBE- It was all glitz, grace, and glittering lamps of fortune at State House Entebbe over the weekend, as President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, flanked by First Lady Maama Janet Museveni, hosted Uganda’s Indian community to celebrate Diwali 2025-the Festival of Lights.
In his trademark candid style, the Jajja of the Nation congratulated the Indian community upon the auspicious occasion and thanked them for their unwavering faith in Uganda’s stability and prosperity. He nostalgically recalled how, after the bitter Amin-era expulsion, government invited the Indian community back — and they returned, dusted themselves off, and invested afresh in a country that had once sent them packing.
“Uganda’s citizenship is inclusive; all our people came from somewhere,” Museveni reminded the gathering, emphasizing unity over ancestry.
He hailed their legendary entrepreneurial muscle, saying the Indian community has helped drive Uganda’s economic engine — creating jobs, paying taxes, and transferring priceless business skills that continue to shape Uganda’s middle class and corporate landscape.
Among the crème de la crème at the dinner table was none other than Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, Uganda’s business colossus and one of the country’s most influential figures of Indian descent. His presence alone was symbolic — a walking reminder of how far Indo-Ugandan relations have come from ashes to affluence.
How It All Began: Indians In Uganda — From Railways To Riches
The Indian footprint in Uganda stretches back to the late 1800s, when the British shipped in thousands of Indian labourers to build the famous Uganda Railway. After completion, many stayed behind, setting up dukas (shops), factories, and financial institutions — quickly becoming the backbone of East Africa’s trade and commerce.
But in 1972, the skies darkened. Then-President Idi Amin Dada infamously gave Asians 90 days to leave the country, accusing them of “milking Uganda dry.” Over 70,000 Indian families were uprooted, their shops sealed, and their properties confiscated overnight. Uganda’s economy, once buoyed by their enterprise, nosedived into chaos.
Yet, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Indians returned when Museveni’s government took charge in the mid-1980s — determined to rebuild and re-invest. And rebuild they did, breathing new life into the economy that once threw them out.
The Untold Legend: Sherali Bandali Jaffer— From Expelled Businessman To Pan-African Hero
One name that sparkles quietly in this history is the late Sherali Bandali Jaffer, founder of Fairway Hotel and Uganda’s first MP for Kampala Central under Kabaka Yekka.
When Amin’s decree forced him out, Sherali sought refuge in Canada and India. But while in exile, he didn’t just rebuild his life — he became a lifeline for others. When Ugandans fleeing Amin’s brutality arrived in Canada, Sherali Jaffer was there to receive them — feeding them, sheltering them, and helping them process legal documents so they could live in dignity.
Talk about a true Pan-African at heart — helping fellow Ugandans even after being cast out by the same nation.
When Museveni’s government restored peace and invited Asians back, Sherali and his family returned home. They reclaimed their businesses, rebuilt Fairway Hotel into a hospitality landmark, and reestablished the Bandali Jaffer name as one of Uganda’s most respected families.
The story didn’t end there — his daughter, Senator Mobina Jaffer, went on to make history in Canada as the first African-born woman appointed to the Canadian Senate. She later led a UN peace mission to Darfur, championing peace and women’s rights in war-torn Sudan.
In honour of his lifelong humanitarianism, Sherali Jaffer was recently recognised at the Pan African Pyramid Global Awards as one of the continent’s unsung Pan-African heroes—a befitting tribute to a man who embodied forgiveness, resilience, and unity.
From Expulsion To Expansion: A New Dawn Of Trust
As the golden lights of Diwali flickered across the lawns of State House, one thing stood out clearly — Uganda and her Indian sons and daughters have journeyed full circle. From exile to excellence, from broken trust to blooming business.
Museveni’s dinner wasn’t just a celebration of Diwali—it was a reaffirmation that Uganda’s diversity is its greatest wealth, and that, indeed, those who once fled now help build the future.
And as Dr. Sudhir and other Indian business giants toasted the night away, the message was unmistakable — the bond between Uganda and her Indian community burns brighter than a thousand Diwali lamps.
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