Who Has More Bragging Rights? Balaam’s Early Billions vs Tayebwa’s Boda Fleet?

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda reports that two senior Ugandan politicians, Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, have publicly discussed their private wealth and said they were already financially established before entering government. Their remarks have prompted debate over which account is more convincing and who may be richer.

The article says Balaam has repeatedly claimed that he became a millionaire while still in primary school and later reached billionaire status through small trading, media-related work, transport and other businesses. It also cites his accounts of tax payments, employment creation and a 2007 call he says he received from businessman Sudhir Ruparelia after his bank balance crossed one billion shillings. The piece notes that some published wealth estimates place him very high, but says these figures have not been independently verified.

Tayebwa’s disclosures are described as more recent and more specific. According to the report, he has said his business, Tayari Rides, runs a large nationwide boda boda fleet and generates income through mobile-money collections. He has also spoken about earlier money-lending activities and other investments in telecoms, consumer goods and property. The article says public estimates based on his remarks suggest substantial capital tied up in the motorcycle business, though these figures are also not independently confirmed.

Watchdog Uganda says both men present themselves as self-made and insist their companies operate separately from their public salaries. The piece concludes that, without audited statements, the comparison remains speculative, but that Balaam has the longer-running wealth narrative while Tayebwa offers more concrete detail about a visible business empire.