Besides all the global issues discussed at the 19th Non-Aligned Movement Summit at Speke Resort Conventional Centre in Munyonyo, there were a few light moments and one was between President Yoweri Museveni and business mogul Sudhir Ruparelia.
Apparently, Museveni promised to give Sudhir’s daughter Sheena cows … and it is not what you think! In the Banyankole culture, the tribe of President Museveni, cows are given as bride price, but the President wasn’t matchmaking Uganda’s richest man’s daughter for one of his children or relatives. Besides she is already married and so are his children.
The Banyakole also gift cows as a form of appreciation and that is what Museveni was doing. Sudhir delivered the venue of the NAM Summit from the ground up in a record 13 months and one of the people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to complete the magnificent world class venue is his daughter Sheena.
During a previous visit to check on the progress of the project, Museveni had promised Sheena cows in case the Convention Centre was finished in time for the meeting that brought together leaders from 120 countries that are not aligned with or against any major power bloc.
During the Summit where Museveni took over leadership of NAM for the next three years, the President who was in company of his wife Mama Janet thanked the Ruparelias who included Sudhir, his wife Jyostna and daughter Sheena for the good job and told them that he will surely give her the cows.
While President Museveni has one of the biggest cattle farms in the country at his Kisozi ranch and inspired South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to start rearing long horned Ankole cattle, the Ruparelias have only been involved in floriculture when it comes to farming. Who knows, Museveni’s gift might inspire them into cattle rearing.