Hassan Basajjabalaba (born 4 June 1967) is a Ugandan businessman, investor and philanthropist. He is best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of the HABA Group of Companies, A large conglomerate in

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...

with an estimated value of $520M

Early life

Hassan was born into a wealthy Banyankole Muslim family on 4 June 1967. His father, the late Idd Basajjabalaba, was the son of a businessman involved in the export of hides and skins, farming, cattle keeping, and education. According to the

New Vision The ''New Vision'' is a Ugandan English-language newspaper published daily in print form and online. Overview ''New Vision'' is one of two main national English-language newspapers in Uganda, the other being the ''Daily Monitor''. It is publi ...

newspaper His father was also one of the largest landowners in Bushenyi District, located in the western part of the country. Hassan attended secondary school in Bushenyi but dropped out just before his final year to focus on expanding and growing the family business after his father's passing in the early 1980s. This was also around the same time the country was heavily impacted by the coup d'état that overthrew President Obote and brought the current president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to power.

Business career

HABA Group of Companies began as a trading firm in 1986, established shortly after the death of Hassan's father. Hassan focused on the realms of education and the hides and skins industry. Today, Kampala International University is one of the largest Private Universities in Africa, with international operations in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

and

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

with Study centres across Uganda. HABA Group of Companies has moved from being a trading company to being the largest group in Uganda, encompassing divisions like; Sugar Refinery, Tea Plantations and Factories in Butare and

Buhweju Buhweju is a kingdom in what is Uganda today. It was incorporated into the British Ankole protectorate in 1901. It was ruled by an Omugabe Ankole (Runyankore: ''Nkore''), was a traditional Bantu kingdom in Uganda and lasted from the 15th centu ...

, and Pharmaceutical Factory, Hospitals, Real-estate. In 2009, Hassan approached Kampala City Council Authority - KCCA to lease Nakasero and Owino markets in

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

, which was approved. The Management of the markets immediately commenced the process of rebuilding and major improvements around the markets which promoted rental increments that were passed on to the vendors. The later resulted in major strikes across the city and the president was left with no choice but to issue directive that led to the cancellation of the contract prompting the government to compensate Basajjabalaba billions of Shillings.

References

External links

Court Asks Businessman Basajabalaba to apologise to NewVision Photojournalist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Basajjabalaba, Hassan Living people Ugandan businesspeople Date of birth missing (living people) Ugandan Muslims People from Bushenyi District National Resistance Movement politicians Year of birth missing (living people)