Of fractured feet, Simba dream billionaire Dewji eyeeing Express deal

Dewji took time off his heavy schedule to meet Tanzania national team players. Photo by Ismail Kezaala

After pacing through the gardens, past the check point of Kampala Serena Hotel and a later few stairs up with my photographer, I did not long for interview Mohammed Dewji.

“He is engaged right but he is aware and you’re next in queue,” Monitor Publications’ Barbara Nyakana said on Tuesday evening.

At the lower floor, the Tanzanian business magnet Dewji was winding up a meeting with Express FC boss Kiryowa Kiwanuka.
But little did I know, not until Mo, as he is affectionately referred to by some of the businessmen and his team, shows up some 10 minutes later.

The president of the Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited Group (MeTL) is triggered to speak about his earlier engagement after Vipers Sports Club’s Abdu Wasike offered him a jersey from the Kitende-based team.
“I have to be honest that I am from a meeting with Express FC,” Dewji states, prompting laughter before a few camera shots.

Dewji had earlier in the day hinted on the six-time Uganda Premier League champions even during the sixth Daily Monitor Thought Leadership Forum, his main reason for the visit to Kampala.

I had already been told that after my interview, a group of top business leaders were next and so I had to make it snappy.
According to Forbes, Dewji has an estimated net worth of $1.9b, therefore positioning him as the 17th richest person in Africa and the continent’s youngest billionaire.

And there is a reason he prioritized this interview. “Sports is an amazing thing because it brings a lot of happiness,” he said as the one-on-one chat got underway.
“It brings people together and it cuts off barriers between the rich and the poor, between colour and religion. So it is a unity substance. This is something that is great and brings a lot of happiness. I love engaging in sport.”

Dewji is second borne of six to Gulamabbas Dewji and Zubeda Dewji raised in a humble background of Singida where he has fond memories of playing football.
“I used to be a good footballer when I was young without shoes from about 10-11 years. When I got a little bit of money around 11-14, I bought second hand shoes which we call ‘Mvumba’ in Kiswahili. And I used those and when I did a little better in my life, I bought new shoes.”

Of course, for a man clad is sleek black suit with a smart phone in his hand, it’s a bit complex to pull off an image of Dewji kicking a ball with his peers.
Dewji’s father was bothered about him playing football because he fractured his feet about four times. “I used to hurt myself and so he was worried about these contact sports, so he wanted me to play more royal sports like tennis and golf,” he recalls.

“So I ended up playing a lot of tennis and golf. I picked up golf at 14. I used to be a scratch handicap golfer, I went to the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy in USA and played golf at a very high level.”
Dewji’s love for football did not stop however. Today, he is the chairman of Simba SC, one of Tanzania’s two biggest clubs.

“As I said, I used to be a footballer and I used to love Simba. Simba is an 83-year-old club, big fan base of over 20 million people,” Dewji speaks with oomph.
He only took over the position three years ago after almost two decades away from the 20-time Tanzania Premier League champions.

“In 2002-03, I sponsored Simba and we had MeTL on the front of their jersey. And we did really well, beat a Botswana club then played a South African club called Santos. We played Zamalek, we won at home. We went away and lost 1-0 and got into penalties. We qualified and got into the group stages of the Caf Champions League in 2003.

“By that time, when I sat with the leaders of Zamalek, and I realized football was money, and that our budget was just one or two per cent of the budget of Zamalek. And I realized that I can be a great driver but if I am having a Volkswagen Beetle and you are racing against a Ferrari, you cannot compete.

“So I came out very blatantly and openly and told people that we needed to transform and commercialize the club. By that time, people said ‘Oh my God! Mo, do you want to buy Simba? Simba is a people’s club, it cannot happen.’ So I said, it was not an issue but I was not going to get associated and put my name to a club where we had no winning streak or competitive edge so I walked away and Simba took a down turn.”

Upon return in 2016 which included Dewji taking a 49 percent stake in the club, Simba’s story has changed. “Last season, we got to the quarterfinals of the Caf Champions League and it brought so much happiness with the Tanzanians. We were filling the stadium with 60000 fans at every game. So, commercialization is very important,” Dewji remarked as his body took a more relaxed pose.

Simba may not have made it to the group stages of the Champions League for the current season but Dewji, the first Tanzanian to grace the cover of Forbes Magazine in 2013, has big goals.

“It was very sad and very unfortunate but I do not like to dwell on excuses. I hate that. We went for pre-season in South Africa. We went away and got a 0-0 draw with UD Songo (in Mozambique), came home and drew 1-1 and we were out. These are the experiences that are going to teach us and make us tougher to be able to compete in the latter stages.

“In five years (2025) I see Simba winning the Caf Champions League. This is our vision. The first East African club to win the Caf Champions League, dislodging Al Ahly, Zamalek, Sundowns and TP Mazembe etc,” he noted.

“We just finished building two training pitches, one is an artificial pitch, and one is a natural pitch. We want to build hostels, gymnasium, swimming pool, nutrition center, an audio-visual center.

“We are also going to invest in the Simba Academy where we are going to recruit and scout players across the country and give them free education and free housing. And you know, we are going to have U12s, U14s, U16s and we are going to work on those talents. We are a visionary club and there is no joking around,” he added with his voice pitching.

There is testament to Dewji’s work. He is lauded for MeTL’s revenue growth from $30m to over $1.5b from 1999-2018 across 11 countries in trading, manufacturing, finance, transport and logistics, mobile telephony, real estate, insurance, agriculture, and food and beverages.
Dewji had a meet with Express chairman Kiryowa Kiwanuka prior to this interview and this is a cup the Red Eagles at Wankulukuku probably want to drink from.

“I have known Express for a long time. But one thing I love is bringing happiness to people. As I mentioned earlier, I was kidnapped (October 11, 2018) and poor people were praying for me. You know, it is never heard of. Today, a rich man gets lost and poor people do not care.

“I want give happiness to poor people and I know Express has a big following in Uganda and they have not been doing well. So we are going to work together with them and see how we can help them to be a better club. I love Uganda, the people have been so hospitable, so friendly, and it’s like my second home.”

Budgets for Simba have gone above $2.5m per year with a big input from Dewji. I ask him about the viability of sport as commercial element in Africa. “I think in the short run, no. I am burning money, I am losing money,” he reacts, “You see everything is not about money. You do development, you do philanthropy, and you build hospitals, give accessibility to water and health care. Do you get a return? No, but you save people’s lives. You help people, you help your fellow Africans.

“So, sports, I am taking it as a way of how to give back to these communities because at the end of the day, you want kids to excel, bring happiness. If I have to give back, on the pretext of losing money, I don’t care. I will continue helping and I want to do that in Ugandan football.

This is my aim, I love this country. I am going to come here and invest. I met with the President (Museveni), he was very positive. I met with the Prime Minister and I am going to invest, create employment, create value and give back. And that is the vision that I have,” he added.

In all the 15 minutes, all one sees is billionaire Dewji clinging onto his passion from for the game all the way from days of his fractured feet, to the hierarchy of Simba and now at Express’ door. How wide will it open though?

DEWJI AT A GLANCE

Born: May 8, 1975
Age: 44
Place of birth: Ipembe, Singida, Tanzania
Nationality: Tanzanian
Spouse: Saira Dewji (m. 2001)
Residence: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Alma mater: Georgetown University
Occupation: Businessman and philanthropist
Net worth: $1.9b (as of October 2019)