TAKEAWAYS

• Captain Mike Mukula shocked attendees at Zari Hassan’s masterclass by claiming he owned five airplanes when he entered Parliament in 1996.
• The former MP traced his rise from selling samosas in Soroti to becoming a wealthy tycoon who served two terms in Uganda’s legislature.
• Mukula urged his two children to avoid seeking government jobs, pushing them toward entrepreneurship and wholesale business instead.

Captain Mike Mukula has revealed that he already owned five aircraft by the time he joined the Ugandan Parliament in 1996, highlighting his business journey before entering politics.

Mukula made the revelation while speaking at the 2026 Business Masterclass at Hotel Africana in Kampala this weekend.

“I joined the parliament as an owner of five aero planes,” he said, adding that most of his friends could testify to his claim.

The politician and businessman also shared insights into his humble beginnings, revealing that he started out by selling samosas in Soroti before gradually building his way up to where he is today.

After serving his first term in Parliament, Mukula went on to secure a second term before eventually leaving the political space and returning to business.

He also spoke about the career paths he encouraged his two children to pursue, revealing that he advised them against relying on government employment and instead urged them to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

“I told them they’ll learn how to work on their own and begin wholesaling in business,” he said.

Through his remarks, Mukula emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship and building independent sources of income, encouraging people to consider business as an alternative to the traditional pursuit of government jobs.