The Cost of Joining Kwagalana Group: Issa Ssekitto Reveals Shs 100M Fee

• Shs 100 million membership: KACITA spokesperson Issa Ssekitto claims joining Kwagalana Group requires Shs 100 million, although the current fee has not been independently verified.

• Financial support: Ssekitto says Kwagalana members can mobilise Shs 2 billion for an occasion or problem requiring Shs 1 billion.

• Prominent businessmen: Kwagalana Group has included Godfrey Kirumira, Sudhir Ruparelia, Hamis Kiggundu and Ben Kavuya.

• Value of savings groups: Ssekitto encourages Ugandans to embrace financial cooperation, citing the benefits of collective savings, networking and support during emergencies.

Joining Uganda's exclusive Kwagalana Group requires a membership fee of Shs 100 million, according to Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) spokesperson Issa Ssekitto, who says the benefits of belonging to a strong financial network can outweigh the cost.

Ssekitto made the revelation during an interview with media personality Leilah Ndagire, popularly known as Omumbejja Ndagire, as he encouraged Ugandans to embrace savings groups and build financial security through collective contributions.

He cited Kwagalana, an association of wealthy Ugandan businessmen chaired by businessman Godfrey Kirumira, as an example of how financial cooperation can help members raise money when they need it.

"Men who have united to save... Let me give an example of Kwagalana, where Kirumira has been chairman. Joining that group, you have to cough up Shs 100 million as membership. But let me tell you, when they have any form of function or any problem, when you release a budget of Shs 1 billion, you will get Shs 2 billion," Ssekitto said.

His remarks suggest that membership in such groups offers more than access to money. Members also benefit from relationships, business connections and financial support during major events or personal difficulties.

However, the Shs 100 million membership fee remains Ssekitto's claim. The group's current admission requirements have not been independently confirmed. There are also reports that one needs to have saved at least Shs1 billion to become a member.

Kwagalana Group was established in 2002 to bring together wealthy entrepreneurs and business leaders in Uganda. Its members have included prominent businessmen such as Sudhir Ruparelia, Godfrey Kirumira, Hamis Kiggundu and Ben Kavuya.

The association has become known for mobilising contributions during weddings, introduction ceremonies, funerals and other major occasions involving its members and their families.

Beyond supporting members, Kwagalana has participated in charitable activities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the association donated a brand-new double-cabin pickup truck to Uganda's national COVID-19 response task force.

Several members also made individual contributions. Sudhir Ruparelia donated two vehicles, Hamis Kiggundu contributed Shs 100 million, while other members supplied food to vulnerable communities affected by the lockdown.

The group's solidarity has also been evident during difficult moments. In May 2025, members joined the Ruparelia family in mourning businessman Rajiv Ruparelia, who died in a road accident.

Led by Kirumira, the members paid tribute to Rajiv and offered support to his family during the funeral arrangements.

Although Kwagalana largely brings together wealthy businesspeople, Ssekitto's message reflects the wider importance of savings groups in Uganda.

Many Ugandans participate in savings and credit cooperative organisations (SACCOs), village savings and loan associations and informal savings groups commonly known as bibiina.

Members contribute money at agreed intervals and use the funds to support businesses, meet emergencies, pay school fees or finance investments.

Unlike Kwagalana, which operates as a network of established businesspeople, many community savings groups accept smaller contributions based on members' financial abilities.

Such arrangements allow people with limited income to pool resources and access amounts they might struggle to raise individually.

However, financial experts encourage members to examine a group's rules, leadership, record-keeping and accountability before committing their savings.

Ssekitto's argument is that the value of a savings group lies not only in what members contribute but also in the support they receive through collective effort.

His example of Kwagalana illustrates how members of an organised network can mobilise substantial resources when one of them faces a major financial obligation.