Charles Magezi Mbire is a businessman, entrepreneur, and industrialist in Uganda. He was reported to be the wealthiest indigenous Ugandan, with an estimated net worth exceeding US$200 million as of January 2012.
- Age: 64
- Industry: Entrepreneur
- Net Worth: $400 million
Another bright star on our catalog of Ugandan millionaires is Charles Mbire. He is Uganda’s one of the most revered boardroom gurus according to Forbes. Mbire is also one of the largest shareholders in mobile phone network giant MTN Uganda’s operations. His Bomi Holding Company owns a 15% stake in the lucrative Rift Valley Railways. He also owns stakes in and sits on the boards of eco bank Uganda, Eskom Uganda, and Invesco Uganda Limited. In 2012 he was reported to be the wealthiest indigenous Ugandan, with a net worth of $200 million. He completed his studies at Essex University where he got a Bachelor’s degree in Science in Economics and later he completed his master’s in Business Administration at Leicester University. Mbire was appointed chairman of the Uganda Securities Exchange in 2010. He is also a member of the Presidential Investor Roundtable and an elite group of businesspeople who advises the President of Uganda on how to improve competitiveness and business conditions in the country.
Background
Mbire was born Charles Magezi in 1959 to Ponsiano Mbire and Thereza Mbire in Mparo, Rukiga District, southwestern Uganda. He is the third-born in the family with three sisters, two of them older than him, and two younger brothers. He attended Kabale Primary School and Kitante Primary School for his elementary education. He studied at St. Mary’s College Kisubi for his O-Level education. He then attended Namasagali College for his A-Level studies. He studied business and economics and graduated with the honors degree of Bachelor of Science, from Essex University in England. He went on to obtain a Master of Business Administration from Leicester University, also in the United Kingdom. His investments are in telecommunications, finance, energy, real estate, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, and transportation.
Business interests[edit]
Mbire is part owner and member of the board of directors of the following Ugandan businesses:
- Afro Alpine Pharma Limited
- East Africa Fish Farming Limited
- Eskom Uganda Limited
- Invesco (Uganda) Limited
- MTN Uganda Limited
- Polino Holdings Limited
- Sunco Investments Limited
- Bomi Holdings Limited
- Rift Valley Railways
- Chui Investments Limited – An investment company specializing in the construction, operations and ownership of small and medium-sized power stations in Uganda[10]
- Bank of Baroda (Uganda).
Other responsibilities
Mbire was appointed chairman of the Uganda Securities Exchange in 2010. He is also a member of the Presidential Investor Roundtable, an elite group of businesspeople who advise the President of Uganda on how to improve business competitiveness and business conditions in the country.
Net worth
In December 2008, it was estimated that Mbire’s net worth exceeded US$65 million. In January 2012, his net worth was estimated to have increased to greater than US$200 million. In January 2019, he was estimated to be worth US$400 million