Mutebile lauded for human resource investments

Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile’s Kyahugye Island that hosts Kyahugye Eco Resort on Lake Bunyonyi. Kyahugye is the second biggest Island after Bwaama on Lake Bunyonyi, where 27 other islands are found. PHOTO | ROBERT MUHEREZA

What you need to know:

  • The economist’s relatives have, however, revealed that he invested the vast bulk of his money in human resource development and donated the rest to charity.

Having served as the governor of Uganda’s Central Bank for nearly two decades, one would have expected Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile’s net worth to be extremely large.

The economist’s relatives have, however, revealed that he invested the vast bulk of his money in human resource development and donated the rest to charity.

His known outstanding asset is Kyahugye Island that hosts Kyahugye Eco Resort on Lake Bunyonyi.

Kyahugye is the second biggest Island after Bwaama on Lake Bunyonyi, where 27 other islands are found. It offers hospitality services such as accommodation with eye-catching tourism attraction sites such as wildlife, bird watching and boat cruise. It is the only Island on Lake Bunyonyi connected with hydropower electricity.

The chairperson of the Kigezi Tourism Cluster, Mr Ivan Mbabazi Batuma, who pioneered the establishment of tourist camps on Lake Bunyonyi in the early 1990s, says Kyahugye Eco Resort is unique and adds value to the tourism products on Lake Bunyonyi because it promotes wildlife conservation.

“We shall always remember [Prof Tumusiime-Mutebile] for being a promoter of tourism activities in Kigezi region besides his unique investment of introducing wildlife such as zebras and Uganda Kobs on Kyahugye Island on Lake Bunyonyi in the same industry,” Mr Batuma said.

Mr Christopher Mutebile, a brother of the deceased, says the economist once owned a dairy farm in Hamurwa Sub-county in Rubanda District. It has since been turned into a tea estate with its current ownership unclear.

“He never invested in material things as he sponsored the education of many students and supported the construction of churches. He donated scholastic materials to different schools, promoted games and sports, especially sponsoring the annual golf tournaments at Kabale Sports Club,” he said.

The Kabale Municipality mayor, Mr Byamugisha Sentaro, said Prof Tumusiime-Mutebile sponsored foreign trips for Kabale leaders for benchmarking purposes.