John Fred Kiyimba Freeman’s appointment as chairperson of the Mengo Chamber of Commerce has been largely welcomed within Buganda’s business community. For many, the decision reflects a preference for steady, experienced leadership at a time when economic pressures are weighing heavily on traders and producers.
Kiyimba is a long-established Kampala businessman known for his involvement in both private enterprise and Buganda Kingdom institutions. Those familiar with his work describe him as organised, pragmatic and capable of bringing different interests together, qualities seen as essential for leading a body tasked with supporting business growth.
In his new role, Kiyimba is expected to guide the chamber’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship and trade across the kingdom. He will also oversee initiatives aimed at strengthening business mentorship, improving access to markets and supporting export promotion for locally produced goods and services.
Kiyimba will serve on the chamber with Steven Kayiwa as deputy chairman, Sarah Kironde, Ritah Namyalo, Robert Nsereko, Musa Mugere and Francis Assisi Kimbowa.
Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga, while welcoming the new board, emphasised the need for practical solutions to long-standing market challenges.
“I welcome the new board of the Mengo Chamber of Commerce to help us promote trade and industry within our kingdom, at a time when the Kabaka’s subjects are producing but often fail to access markets,” Mayiga said.
Kiyimba brings experience from his service on the board of Buganda Broadcasting Service (BBS TV). He also previously chaired Buganda Twezimbe, the fundraising drive that mobilised resources for the reconstruction of the Kasubi Tombs, a Unesco world heritage site. The initiative is often cited as an example of his ability to coordinate fundraising efforts and deliver on complex assignments.
He is further linked to Bagaga Kwagalana, a network of Kampala-based businesspeople. Through this association, he has engaged with a cross-section of Uganda’s leading entrepreneurs, a network observers say could be useful in forging partnerships and attracting investment opportunities for businesses affiliated to the chamber.
His appointment comes against a difficult economic backdrop. High inflation, rising food prices and the increasing cost of essential goods continue to strain household incomes in Buganda. Poverty, income inequality and limited job creation in value-added sectors remain persistent challenges for both Buganda and the country as a whole.
The Mengo Chamber of Commerce is therefore expected to take on a more active role in advocating long-term investment in agriculture, infrastructure and public services, while supporting businesses to grow beyond subsistence and trading activities.
Kiyimba’s leadership will be judged on whether these ambitions translate into tangible improvements for traders and producers.
