Saturday, April 25, 2026
‘…you all will agree with me that we each received a quality education, in a decent learning environment, because someone, somewhere, sacrificed…it is now our turn and obligation…the pioneer generations laid the foundation, which made us who we are and what we are. We, therefore, carry an even bigger obligation in light of the current global dynamics and the future of our children’s children. Luckily, we have a bigger capacity, technology exists to do virtually anything…all we needed is the will…and the will we did mobilise…this complex we are launching today is testimony that not even the sky will be the limit… am very grateful to the pioneer team for their strategic vision and persistent commitment…’
Prof Twine could not contain his excitement as he presided over the opening of a multimillion powder-egg complex in the city’s industrial park. He had flown in from Fiji, where he lives and teaches at the country’s state university. This is the third mega-investment of Abekambi Limited…an investment and transformation conglomerate that grew out of an old boys’ association. Rallied around an initial project of renovating a student dormitory at their former school, the ‘strange’ way in which the project was executed raised an impetus of doing even bigger things.
It all began December in 2021. While on his sabbatical for post-doctoral research into the African roots of the Caribbean people, Prof Twine joined his classmates for a weekend barbecue, and the issue of their dormitory at their alma mater came up in the course of the merry conversations and school days memories. After several suggestions on how to lend a hand to their school, the team agreed to Twine’s suggestion of ‘building the dormitory with our own hands.
And out of the 3,000-plus old boys of the school, a formidable force of 120 was formed and divided into 4 teams. Under the umbrella brand of Abekambi, the four teams were named Abekambi, Abateganda, Abatahigwa, Abataremwa. Each team consisted of 30 members, with a working calendar spread over three months. And instead of renovating the old dormitory, they opted to build a new one, accommodating 80 students on double-decker beds.
And it was built by ‘their own hands. With the architectural plans and bills of quantities done, the teams raised the funds for all the materials except labour, which came from their own hands, with quality assurance supervision by the head of technical subjects at the school, and overall leadership of the school headmaster.
It worked thus: thanks to the practical curriculum offered at the school, each team had at least 5 masons and 3 carpenters among its members, with the rest providing support work during the construction. Each team had its own working Saturday according to the project calendar, and within three months, they handed over the dormitory to the school board, on St Philip’s Day, the patron saint of the school.
And true to the spirit of sacrifice and determination, in the course of building the dormitory, the teams acted and behaved as was during their school days: each Mwekambi joined students at their table for breakfast and lunch in the school dining, garnishing breakfast with corn flakes sponsored by the Abekambi. Lunches were iced with tinned rabbit and tinned chicken, the latter becoming the next focus of their investment.
Abekambi Movement Is Born
Energised by their initial success with the school dormitory and inspired by the earlier-day lay apostolate movements in the church (The Xaverians, The Crusaders [Abanyangabo], and others), the old boys resolved to have a structured organisation. Basic tenets and a credo were drafted, they sought and received the blessing of the church leadership and the rest is living history. Abekambi is now a recognised lay apostolate movement in the church, tailored to and responding to the global dynamics of the 21st century.
Registering Abekambi Limited as their holding company and investment channel, on December 28, 2024, they opened their first investment, white meat (chicken, rabbit) tinning factory. This a joint venture with the pinnacle network of church-linked microfinance institutions, an Italian food machinery company, and Abekambi Ltd. Producing world-class certified meat for the domestic and export markets, the complex has a shouting challenges to the area farmers printed on all its paraphernalia including a mega billboard: NOSEERWA EMIKONO YAAWE.
In response to this challenge, the farmers have not been disappointed. Virtually every household is into range chicken and rabbit rearing, with technical support from company staff. So, each farmer is only limited by their capacity, as the motto says. All that is produced is bought. Tinned white meat is now common on school, university, and hotel menus, besides supermarket shelves for domestic consumption.
Alongside these, the Abekambi have not lost their original core focus: construction. Bent on building modern, decent, human settlements, Abekambi Villages has since its incorporation ventured on a ‘building crusade’ as their slogan asserts. Their pioneer project became a benchmark and has since inspired many communities to enroll in the Abekambi Village programme: under a condominium arrangement, the pioneer project of 200 apartments in five-storey blocks was built on a hill owned by a Mwekambi team member.
Of the five floors on each block, the landowner owns one floor, the financing microfinance network owns one floor, a hardware company owned by another Mwekambi owns one floor, and Abekambi Villages as an entity owns two floors. Under an estate management subsidiary of the group, the apartments are mortgaged to citizens on a 20-year rent-to-own arrangement. And thanks to regular income from the white meat investments, citizens easily afford the monthly payments…and this cash flow enables Abekambi Villages to crusade against poverty in the community.
‘…therefore today, compatriots, we are living to the dreams of our school founders and laying an unbwogable, firm, strong, eternal foundation for generations coming….this is not only exciting but very gratifying and fulfilling’….I can’t thank you enough…’, Twine breaks off in a crescendo of emotions to wild cheers.
Ben Kahunga Matsiko
Email: isherugaba@gmail.com
Google: http://Ben Kahunga Matsiko
Read More…
https://allenbaguma.com/dissecting-ugandas-competitiveness-i/
Blog: https://kanyonza.blogspot.com/
