By Our Reporter
Ugandan business mogul Dr Sudhir Ruparelia and the entire Ruparelia Foundation family have confirmed they will tomorrow Thursday deliver the two brand new Tata Xenon XLT Pickups they previously pledged to help in the fight against deadly COVID-19 pandemic. “Yes, they’re here lined up already, waiting to be handed over to Codiv19 National Taskforce management team tentatively tomorrow Thursday,” Dr.Sudhir revealed to Spy Uganda reporter via WhatsApp chat earlier today.
Sudhir, under their family Organization, Ruparelia Foundation early this week announced they were donating the vehicles in response to President Yoweri Museveni’s appeal to all investors in the Country to donate vehicles that would facilitate transport for the task force in the fight against pandemic.
During last Friday’s national address about Coronavirus, President Museveni said that; “There are about 5000 companies in Uganda; if each of them donated at least one brand new vehicle we would be in excess of what we need.”
Museveni, who said he would deploy at least 10 vehicles in each district to respond to COVID-19 emergencies, revealed that he had already received three brand new vehicles from Japanese investors in Uganda and urged other Good Samaritans to follow the example.
It was on that note that the Ruparelia Foundation pledged to donate two pickups, which were ready for delivery to the National COVID-19 Taskforce by the time of filing this story.
We have established that the Ruparelia Foundation has already cleared all necessary requirements for the vehicles, including payment of taxes for the same, Number plates and other dues at the Uganda Revenue Authority.
The cars already bear registration number plates UBG 885W and UBG 8886W respectively and the Ruparelia Foundation is only waiting for the Taskforce, which is led by Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, to collect the vehicles tomorrow.
“Dr Sudhir and the Ruparelia Family, through the Ruparelia Foundation is happy to contribute to the national effort to contain the spread of the Coronavirus because it posses the biggest threat to human race, and a concerted, united effort is a better answer in response to the pandemic,” he posted.
Sudhir of Asian origin, was born in Uganda and attended schools in here up to 1972, before he fled to UK due to the expulsion of Asians.
After completing school, he joined various companies and worked as an Accountant. Returning to Uganda in 1985, he started to operate his own business. Over the years he developed a vibrant Forex business and gradually obtained a banking licence to start a private commercial bank, namely Crane Bank Limited in August, 1995.
With a view to creating a fully fledged financial services organization, he obtained a licence to set-up an Insurance Company — namely Goldstar Insurance Co. Ltd — which commenced operation in 1996.
As a patriotic Ugandan-Asian, he continued to re-invest profits from business in Uganda and built the largest portfolio of properties in Uganda comprising of prime commercial, industrial and residential properties mainly in Kampala.
At the opportune time, he commenced investing in the hotel, education, floriculture and leisure industries, culminating in the acquisition of Speke Hotel in July/August 1996, to which further additions have been made:
Speke Resort, Munyonyo, Speke Apartments, Tourist Hotel, Kabira Country Club, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, Kampala International School of Uganda, Kampala Parents’ School, Rosebud Ltd, Kingdom Kampala Plaza, Kampala Boulevard, among other ventures.
He continued expanding his sphere of influence through further investments in Education, Media, horticulture and property development.
Further to the group’s support in Education KISU was first started about 20 years ago with 67 students and now educates over 600 children.
About 10 years ago the group also started a Kindergarten and primary school teaching the UNEB syllabus and educating mainly around 2900 Ugandan students
