Nurmohamed Jiwa Ukani

Children

Nurmohamed Bhai came to Uganda from Vankaner, Kathiawar in 1908. He travelled by a vaan dhow which was quite risky and landed first at Mombasa.

There he was immediately hired by Allidina Visram company to do "nokri" work in his store in Kampala. he cleaned floors, stocked good etc until, he learn the local language and also how to do business.

After, worked in the store for 5 years, living with other youngsters and saving money, in 1913, he returned to Vankaner and was married to Jenabai Amarshi Mawji, also of the same town.

Upon returning to Uganda, he went to Masaka, about 80 miles for Kampala and started a small "piri piri bezari" provision store, selling salt, chillies a threads etc. There were only 2-4 Khoja houses at this time. Jenabai worked with him in the store.

Later, the local government gave him a contract to transport goods for which he bought a bullock cart, which he rode himself.

in 1930, he bought a T-Ford truck for his transport business.

By 1940, he had progressed into passenger transport, starting with one Albion bus. His busses started moving passengers in smaller towns locally mand later take passengers to the Tanzania border, where they would cross by foot and go into Tanzanian bus. After 1950, the company, Nurmohamed Jiwa and Sons has 12 busses, including one that went across the border to Bukoba, Tanzania.

After his death, a street in Masaka was named "Nurmohamed Jiwa Street"