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Bwogere’s journey to his dream home

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Bwogere’s dream home has an ample space for a compound and has been enclosed witha perimeter wall

Vincent Bwogere’s remarkable journey to building a storied home in Kampala is not just a story of financial success, but one of resilience, determination, and unwavering faith.
From humble beginnings in Sembabule to owning a multi-million-shilling property in Kiwenda, Bwogere’s story is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and the impact of
blind optimism.

The spark of a dream

Bwogere’s first visit to Kampala was in 2005, when he travelled from Sembabule to watch a football match between Mawogola and Gomba at Nakivubo Stadium. During this trip, something caught his eye, something he had never seen before; the grand multistory buildings that dotted the Kampala skyline. To him, these towering structures were not just buildings; they were symbols of progress, success and the life he dreamed of one day achieving.

As he journeyed back to Sembabule, Bwogere’s mind was consumed with the idea of these storied houses. He marveled at how such buildings could be constructed, with floors stacked one on top of the other. It was a vision he could not shake.
"I wondered how a building could be put on top of the other," he recalls. "I had never seen anything like it before, and I could not help but admire the ingenuity behind these houses."

Upon returning to Sembabule, Bwogere shared his new ambition with his friends. They told him that only the wealthiest people in Kampala could afford to build such houses. However, far from discouraging him, their words ignited an even greater determination in Bwogere. He promised himself that one day, he too would build such a house, no matter the challenges that lay ahead.

A fresh start in Kampala

In 2009, Bwogere finally made the decision to leave Sembabule and head to Kampala, where he hoped to build a better future. Armed with just Shs600,000, he rented a modest house in Gayaza and opened a chapati stall, hoping that the business would generate enough money to help him realise is dream. However, after four months of running the chapati stall, Bwogere realised that the earnings were far too small to even consider building a house. He needed to look for a more lucrative venture.

With limited options, he decided to transition into the cassava business.
In this new venture, he worked loading and offloading cassava, earning Shs15,000 per route and working three times a week. Though the pay was modest, Bwogere was not one to give up easily. His mindset was clear; he needed to keep pushing, and with time, things would improve.
By 2012, Bwogere had managed to save enough money to buy a small plot of land in Gayaza Bulamu for Shs1.3m.


The plot measured just 25 by 40 feet, and though it was a start, the dream of building his house still seemed far off. Without sufficient funds to build, Bwogere faced a difficult decision.
In 2013, when he struggled to find a buyer for the land, his hope began to wane. The swampy nature of the land made it an unappealing investment, and Bwogere had to return to his chapati business in Kasangati.

A turning point

By now, Bwogere’s financial struggles were compounded by his feelings of isolation. He wanted to return to Sembabule, but deep down, he knew he needed advice; someone to guide him on the best course of action.
It was then that he heard of a church called Miracle Christian Fellowship Ministries in Nangabo, led by Pastor James Victor Lubwama. Bwogere decided to seek spiritual guidance, and he joined the church, hoping that through prayer and counsel, he could find a way forward.

Pastor Lubwama did more than just pray for him. He provided crucial guidance, advising Bwogere not to return to Sembabule but to stay in Kampala and continue with his chapati business. He explained that this was Bwogere’s only known address, and it was from here that he would build his future. This advice had a profound effect on Bwogere, and he decided to persevere in Kampala, taking his pastor’s words to heart.

The rise of the cassava business

At the beginning of 2014, things started to shift for the better. A former colleague from the cassava business approached Vincent with an offer to resume working together. With the encouragement of Pastor Lubwama, Bwogere decided to take up the offer. By April 2014, cassava farmers began trusting Bwogere and started sending fully loaded trucks of cassava to him in Kampala to sell. This marked a turning point in his life.

From this new venture, Bwogere began earning between Shs30,000 and Shs40,000 per route, working three times a week. This was a significant improvement, but it was not just the money that motivated him; it was the renewed sense of purpose.
By September 2015, Bwogere had gained the trust of more farmers, and the number of cassava trucks he was managing increased steadily. Now earning Shs100,000 per truck, he worked six days a week, leaving Sundays solely for church. His hard work was starting to pay off.

The two-storey house has two gates, six entrances, seven self-contained bedrooms, three sitting rooms, a dining area, and eight porches. PHOTOS/SARAH TUMWEBAZE

Building the first house

Despite the success in the cassava business, Bwogere’s living situation was still precarious. In early 2015, he was evicted from his rented one-room house for non-payment of rent. With just Shs260,000 in cash, he sold off some household items and raised Shs580,000.
Although this was a small sum, it was enough to begin building his first home.

With a total of Shs910,000, Bwogere purchased the basic materials; sand, bricks, hardcore, cement, and iron sheets. He began construction on a simple 10x10 ft room, with a mason supervising the work. However, due to the limited funds, the construction process was far from conventional. When money ran out, Bwogere resorted to using sacks filled with soil to secure the iron sheets on the roof. The roof was built up to the window level, and to create more headroom inside, Bwogere dug a foot into the foundation.He used sacks from Kalerwe as flooring and made do with what he had.

Despite these challenges, Bwogere's first house was a tangible sign that his dream was slowly coming to fruition.
By September 2015, the cassava business had expanded, and Bwogere was managing more trucks, earning between Shs100,000 and Shs200,000 per day. This was the financial push he needed.

Building a family and expanding the dream

By 2016, Bwogere’s life had changed dramatically. He had a family, and his business was thriving. With the money he had saved, he began to build a larger house around his first structure. This new house included a bathroom, two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a dining area. It was a significant improvement, but there was still more to be done.
At the same time, Bwogere’s investments began to diversify. He bought seven single-room rentals in Kalagi, renovated them, and then purchased land in Matugga in 2017. He even bought a taxi to supplement his income and later invested in 10 double-roomed commercial shops.

The road to real estate

In 2018, Bwogere made another bold move. With guidance from his pastor, he bought land in Kiwenda, and by the end of that year, he had expanded his holdings. Between 2018 and 2019, his cassava business flourished. He was now managing up to seven trucks of cassava per day, which greatly increased his income and enabled him to invest even more in real estate.

In 2020, Bwogere started construction on his dream house in Kiwenda. The initial works included building an underground well, purchasing sand, bricks, and a pit latrine. However, due to financial constraints brought on by the Covid-19 lockdown, Bwogere could only complete the foundation and build up to the wall plate of the first floor.
In November 2020, he and his family moved into the house, despite it still lacking windows. The slow pace of the cassava business made things tight financially, but Bwogere was determined to finish what he had started.

A dream realized

By 2023, Bwogere’s dream home was finally taking shape. The land had expanded to half an acre, and a wall fence had been built around the property. His two-storey house now included two gates, six entrances, seven self-contained bedrooms, three sitting rooms, a dining area, and eight porches.

The house offers sweeping views of Namulonge, Kiwenda Kabubu, and Namasumbi. With a total investment of Shs465 million so far, the house is still under construction, but Bwogere’s satisfaction is immeasurable. His dream of owning a storied house had been realised.