Two days after the feting of Mohammed Al Maktoum, Investment minister Evelyn Anite rang up Ambassador Zaake Kibedi in Abu Dhabi to inquire about his royalty
KAMPALA | A Dubai prince who was feted with the distinguished Order of the Crested Crane First Class Medal during the Heroes Day a fortnight ago has his credibility in question marks in government circles.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was sold to Uganda as a billion-dollar investor in the oil and gas sector with vast interests in gold refinery and other businesses.
Mr Museveni recognised Mohammed Al Maktoum at the Heroes Day on June 9 in Gomba for his exceptional contribution to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.
But there have been queries over background of the man from the royal family of Sharjah whose company, BBM Investments LLC, is said to be interested in the multi-billion national identification project and the Intelligent Transport Management System Programme (digital number plates).
Two days after the feting of Mohammed Al Maktoum, Investment minister Evelyn Anite rang up Ambassador Zaake Kibedi in Abu Dhabi to inquire about the relationship between Al Maktoum and the ruling royal family of the Emirate of Dubai.
“This is to inform you that Sheikh Mohammed Bin Juma Al Maktoum is a member of the extended royal family of the Emirate of Dubai,” Amb Kibedi wrote to Ms Anite on June 11.
When it was announced that an Emirati prince was to be feted on Heroes Day, many minds swept the carpets toward the Emirate Crown. With the name Al Maktoum, it all sold out.
But when Mohammed Al Maktoum’s private jet touched down at Entebbe International Airport at 8pm on the eve of the Heroes Day, the government said he was accompanied by a delegation, including his business partners, Mike Douglas and Jaideep Mirchandani.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, would certainly have travelled better. Even more certainly, the protocol liaison officer would not have been Mr Robert Mukiza, the executive director of Uganda Investment Authority (UIA).
The eyebrows that were raised stretched as far as Makindye, a city suburb where Al Maktoum and his delegation are said to have booked into a hotel.
A news website, News Storm, said Mohammed Al Maktoum checked into Lavitude Hotel. And, playing on the manner of travel, the blog quoted an alleged anonymous source showing the world of difference in foreign travels of an Emirate prince.
“Do you think a Prince from our country can come to your country without a security detail, without any officials from our government, not even from the embassy? You expect a prince to sleep in a lowly hotel where his security is not guaranteed?” it said.
While the blog that has published at least two more articles in the recent past about Mohammed Al Maktoum said he was accompanied by Luke Sellwood of the East African Investment Group, and Sakhib Waseem of Sock Guys Limited, a Briton born in Wales.
The other members on the team included Rahmy Morcos from SKA International Group, an affiliate of the Alpha MBM Investments and Nick Massey.
Mohammed Al Maktoum has no blood relationship with the Dubai ruling family or UAE government and does not carry the “Bin Rashid” name which the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and other royals carry.
Whilst confirming that Mohammed Al Maktoum was only an extended member of the royal family and not anywhere close to the crown prince some Ugandans had taken him for, Amb Kibedi reeled off the Dubai prince’s businessman profile, effectively confirming to Minister Anite that Mukiza had got a businessman.
Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum is the chairman of MBM Investments LLC. He has been making strategic investments in Uganda’s oil and gas sector, aviation and agriculture value addition.
He says he wants to revamp Uganda air cargo operations by providing six planes, construct a 60,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery, a fruit processing hub in Bukalasa, a logistics hub at Entebbe International Airport, and a gold refinery and free zone complex in Entebbe.
While in the country for his medal two weeks ago, Mohammed Al Maktoum said Uganda has become his second home.
“We have been looking to establish impactful projects in Uganda that will add value to the Ugandan communities,” he added.
“We want to build an oil refinery in Uganda that will help the country to benefit from her oil wealth. We are also working to revive the Uganda air cargo, and the first aircraft has arrived today. There are different opportunities here in Uganda, and we are looking for other projects.”
The fallout
Mr Mukiza’s honours of receiving investor Mohammed Al Maktoum at Entebbe could have passed for a normal routine but it came at the back of simmering relations with his line minister Anite.
Sources close to the minister say she was already investigating allegations of corruption against Mukiza and nursing pent up energy after the investment boss went over her head to cut several deals laid on the table by Uganda’s Missions abroad.
Anite once enjoyed a close working relations with UIA under Mukiza, who replaced Jolly Kaguhangire in 2021, and the Authority’s board chair Morrison Rwakamba.
But with Mr Mukiza being the man receiving a State visitor cum investor Mohammed Al Maktoum, Anite could not hold it in anymore.
Being one who loves to hoot on the rostrum, it was a tough one to take in that Mr Mukiza had assigned himself the protocol liaison officer duty.
“Of course, Anite had intended to receive him herself hence the tantrum throwing Mukiza under the bus to make sure he knows his place,” said a source.
Ms Margaret Kafeero, the acting head of public affairs department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that they did not assign the protocol liaison officer for Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum’s arrival.
Only last month when Uganda beat six other nations to emerge the best investment destination in Africa during a global investor award gala dinner at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, it was Anite who held the tiny shining trophy and it was Anite who had presented it to President Museveni at State House.
At the signing ceremony Mohammed Al Maktoum had at State House, Minister Anite stood strategically behind the Dubai prince. Here, Mr Mukiza had no chance.
The first payback was the terse letter in which she vowed there would be consequences if Mukiza and his UIA group did not vomit the Shs545 million they had wolfed down at a service award dinner they had organised for themselves.
During an explosive meeting with President Museveni at State House on Wednesday, it emerged that Anite had been aware of the controversial service award taken in August 2022.
She had brought it out as the fallout with UIA top officials boiled to the tip.
For Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum and his MBM Investments, the deals signed will have to prove he is a genuine investor walking own clean steps rather than one tiptoeing in the footprints of the likes of Senegalese RnB star Akon and American actor Terrence Howard with his quantum physics.