Even Bufunda's Have A Board Chairman!

Let’s get the definition of the role that Chairman of the Board, plays out of the way from the onset. His principal role, is to manage and to provide leadership to the Board of Directors of the Company. The Chairman is accountable to the Board and acts as a direct liaison between the Board and the management of the Company, through the Chief Executive Officer.

Charles Mbire - Chairman, MTN Uganda 

Most companies have a Chair of the Board. Dr Monica Chibita, is board chair at Vision Group, as Charles Mbire is at MTN Uganda, Sudhir Ruparelia at Ruparelia Group and Kirowya Kiwanuka at Express FC.

These gentlemen and lady, didn’t get to be Board Chair because they merely went to school. Rather, they are very astute, smart, have an abundance of knowledge and more importantly, they have political and business influence. They are the people who shape and effect the business and political spectrum in this country of ours.

Kirowya Kiwanuka - Chairman, Express FC

Aside from them, there is another group who also aspire to be Chairmen of their social circles and that could be anything from the group admin of a WhatsApp group, to chairing a wedding committee or being President of the Students Guild at university. However, others have different Chairmanship aspirations. They want to be Chairman of the local kafunda that they drink in.

Just like the manner and style in which the boards that Chibita, Mbire, Kiwanuka and Sudhir chair, Chairman of The Board of Local Kafunda chairs his ‘board’ in the same bravura. Once he walks in, everyone from Waitress, DJ to Owner of Kafunda pays homage and addresses him as Chairman. 

Kafunda staff take the Chairmanship thing seriously. Years ago, I walked into a Luzira kafunda on a Saturday afternoon and took my presence at an empty table. When Waiter ambled up to take my order, as he did, he whispered thus: “But sir, you realise that at some point you have to move?” I took that to mean that I have to move when the sun comes overhead and duly replied: “It’s okay, I don’t think the sun will hit me for another two hours.”

Even Brian White Wants To Be Acknowledged As Chairman

For a while he stood - as if on bunkenke and unsure of what to say next until he blurted it out: “Chairman will be here at 6:00pm and this table is for him and his friends.” Then, I actually thought that Chairman, was the real deal Chairman like Kiwanuka, Mbire and Chibita. But he wasn’t. He was merely some lowly IT chap at StanChart but who was Chairman of the kafunda.

Paulo used to be Chairman of Miki’s Pub when, ‘the board’ resolved that the Chairmanship should be rotate every two months. However, when Paulo’s stint was done, he was ‘reluctant’ to leave. Remember what former President, the late Godfrey Binaisa said back in the day that "Entebe ewoma?" Even when the mantle had been blatantly passed on to Nodin, I think it was, Paulo refused to vacate the seat at the helm of the table. Worse, all staff still referred to him as Chairman and not Nodin.

When the board relocated to Fusion Auto Spa, guess who management referred to as Chairman – Paulo. And it was no different at Veranda that, the rest of board have given up hope of ever becoming Chairman and resigned ourselves to having Paulo as our Chairman for life!

The Late Ivan Semwanga Was Also A Chairman

Njoroge is Chairman of Kachaps in Muyenga and has been Chairman from day one that I feel it’s time for him to go. So, I initiated what I would call a ‘kafunda coup’. Quietly, I persuaded Njoroge to ‘resign’ and he accepted. Well, he sort of accepted. However, when I was last there, I found him still sitting in the chairman’s seat and upon asking what he was still doing there, he said: “TB, you are still new. The board won’t agree to you becoming Chairman.”

With that, I have decided to go look for a place where I - TB, can be Chairman of the Kafunda.  

Pictures: Bukedde online, Uganda online, MTN