Transformation of Kirumira into diplomatic realm 

Businessman Godfrey Kirumira is renowned for being pompous but he has not been the same from the time he was appointed honorary consul of Namibia to Uganda last month.

On June 16, he hosted friends and business colleagues to a dinner at Speke Resort Munyonyo to celebrate that appointment. The A-list guests in attendance surely gave the event a deserved honour. Amidst the humour, feasting, entertainment and dancing, the biggest takeaway from most people was the seamless transformation of Kirumira into a diplomat.

He is still flashy, but measured. However, gone are the days of a boastful Kirumira who used to splash cash around like he didn’t care; this was a polished man who greatly endeared himself to the guests with his humble demeanor. Even the tone of his speech was concise.

He took time to greet everyone in attendance, offering warm smiles at every opportunity.

“It is with great honour and humility that I stand before you today as the newly-appointed honorary consul of Namibia to Uganda. I want to thank God who has been a pivotal pillar of my life. I would like in a very special way to express my deepest gratitude to His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, president of Namibia and the Namibian government for entrusting me with this prestigious position. I am truly grateful for this opportunity to serve as a representative of Namibia in Uganda. I pledge to uphold the values and principles that define the strong and enduring coherence between our two nations,” he said.

“In a special way, distinguished guests, allow me to take this rare opportunity to deeply thank President Museveni, whose leadership has created an enabling environment for this diplomatic relationship to take place. I have no doubt that this will be of mutual benefit to the sister nations.

“I thank the Right Honourable Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Namibia for the warm reception she accorded me and my delegation, when I went to Namibia to receive my consular appointment letters. The diplomatic guidance and the trust she has in me boosted my confidence in executing my next diplomatic engagements and I will forever be indebted.”

As many in the audience were wondering how Kirumira got connected to Namibia in the first place, he said it was the work of Elia Irimari, his business associate and governor of the Oshana region in Namibia.

“He cordially invited me to this region and marked the beginning of our economic cooperation by offering me land for investment. This remarkable gesture is an incentive that I cannot take for granted. This appointment is not a personal achievement; it is a testimony to the collective hard work and dedication by everyone who has supported me along the way,” he said.

PLEDGE

To his end, Kirumira pledged to work closely with both Namibian and Ugandan business enterprises and government agencies to promote trade and investment and to identify areas of mutual interest and benefit.

“I also intend to leverage my experience and expertise in business and entrepreneurship to facilitate the establishment of joint ventures and partnerships between Namibian and Ugandan companies. By fostering stronger ties between the private sectors of our two nations, I believe that we can unlock significant economic opportunities and contribute to the growth and development of both countries,” he said.

Finally, Kirumira attributed his seamless transformation to Henry Okello Oryem, the minister of state for Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador Sentongo, chief of protocol, who inducted him into the diplomatic realm.