Sam Otada
Samuel Owor Amooti Otada (born 27 October 1976), commonly known as Sam Otada, is a Ugandan businessman, lawyer and retired politician. He is the chairman and group Chief Executive Officer of the Otada Group of Companies, a family-owned business conglomerate constituting of Otada construction, Otada Foundation, Otada Holdings and Otada Transport.[1] He has been reported to be one of the wealthiest people in Uganda.[2]
Sam Otada | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 October 1976 Masindi, Uganda |
| Nationality | Ugandan |
| Citizenship | Uganda |
| Alma mater | Makerere University |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, Lawyer & Retired politician |
| Years active | 1999 – present |
| Known for | Business acumen |
| Title | Chairman Otada Group of Companies |
Otada previously served as member of Parliament for Kibanda County, Kiryandongo District from 2001[3] to 2016.[4]
Education
Otada was born in Masindi District, Western Region, on 27 October 1976. He attended Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university, graduating in 1999, with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He returned to Makerere in 2014 to pursue a Bachelor of Laws graduating with Honours in January 2019. He completed the legal bar course at Law Development Centre in 2020.
Business Career
Otada's father, a businessman and entrepreneur, died in 1999 soon after his youngest son finished his undergraduate studies at Makerere. The young man, at age 22 inherited his father's company, then a bus operator with about 30 buses. Under his leadership, the bus company has grown into four different businesses dealing in transportation, civil engineering, construction, waste management, and mobile telephone airtime.
Otada was elected as the member of Parliament for Kibanda County, Kiryandongo District in 2001.[3] He held the seat in 2006 and 2011.[5] For the 2016 general election, the constituency was split into two, with Otada standing for the new constituency of Kibanda County North on an independent ticket.[4] He lost to Taban Idi Amin,[4] but challenged the result through the courts.[6]
Political career
During the ninth Parliament (2011–16), Otada served as the Leader of the Independents in the Ugandan parliament.[7] He sat on the following parliamentary committees:
- Equal Opportunities Committee
- Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee
References
- Mwanguhya Mpagi, Charles (17 September 2013). "How Sam Otada Inherited And Grew The Family Business". Daily Monitor (Kampala. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- Norah Chandiru, and Caroline Obira (2012). "All I Wanted Was To Honour Dad's Legacy". New Vision Mobile (Kampala). Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- POU (2011). "Profile of Otada Samuel Owor Amooti". Parliament of Uganda (POU). Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- Muzoora, George (22 February 2016). "Amin's grandson takes Kibanda North seat". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- Mwanguhya Mpagi, Charles (17 September 2013). "How Sam Otada inherited, grew family business". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- Nyamahunge, Priscillar (14 September 2016). "Amin's grandson retains Kibanda North seat". New Vision. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- Nakatudde, Olive (30 September 2014). "Parliament Approves Premier Rugunda". Uganda Radio Network (URN). Retrieved 29 November 2014.