Africa-Press – Uganda. Peter Claver Ntakirutimana, a businessman, tennis enthusiast and lover of the Roman Catholic faith, died on November 12, aged 86. The second of Thomas Malembo and Berta Nyirakigwene’s children, Ntaki—as Ntakirutimana was fondly called—was delivered at home without any medical support.
Upon birth, he was quickly baptised and given a baptismal name Ntakirutimana. It translates to: “Nothing is Greater than God”, signifying his parents’ total commitment to God to avoid the misfortune that had befallen their first-born child Margaret who passed on two weeks after birth. Humble beginnings did not deter Ntaki from transcending expectations. A workaholic, he focused on educating not just his kin but anyone who mentioned the key words “school fees.”
“Some of our classmates swear that it was our text books that landed them their medical careers,” Ms Edith Ntaki, his daughter, revealed, adding, “Often, we run into strangers and this is what they have to say: ‘If it was not for your dad, we would never have been educated.”
Ntaki founded Eagle Investments Limited in 1982, a tea blender company in East Africa offering gold foil packaged premium teas. Famously known as Garden Tea, the company boasts of well-maintained tea estates, a manufacturing plant and a robust distribution network. It processes top quality green leaf and sells and exports premium teas to the East African market, the United Kingdom, a great part of Europe, Pakistan and the United States of America.
Mr Alex Sevume, the manager at Garden Tea in Jinja, says his former boss was a generous man with high levels of production and brand management. This unique skill set helped Garden Tea win a Gold medal in the Monde Selection Quality Awards in Belgium. “He never rested at all. Even after winning Bronze and Silver medals, the late kept aiming at a gold medal,” Mr Sevume said.
Ntaki acquired a considerable fortune and was noted for his philanthropy that is tangible within Jinja Town via churches built and many other contributions. A tennis fanatic, he used his deep pockets and reach to promote the sport during his tenure as the Uganda Tennis Association (UTA) chairman in 2001.
A strict disciplinarian, he took charge of the association’s bank accounts in a bid to check reported mismanagement of funds. This followed mismanagement of over Shs39 million in grants from the International Tennis Federation.
Workaholic
The son of a teacher, Ntaki had the opportunity to start school at a tender age in 1942. He would receive a Primary Leaving Examinations certificate at Mutolere Primary School. At Rushoroza Junior Secondary School and St Mary’s College Kisubi, he would get Junior Leaving First Grade Cambridge School certificates in 1951 and 1954, respectively.
He then moved to Makerere College (Makerere University) where he earned a Diploma in Agriculture in 1960.
In 1960, after graduating from Makerere University, he joined the Agriculture ministry in the Agriculture Department as an assistant to Major Ellis, who was then the District Agriculture Officer. Ntaki’s duties included supervising coffee nurseries, prison farms, tobacco growing and soil conservation. He did this until 1961 when he was recruited by East African Tobacco Company as a marketing salesman.
He held various positions at the company, working his way through as a grade II salesman in 1961 to a divisional salesman in 1963. A year later, he commenced a career in management. By 1971, he had been posted to Aureol Tobacco Company (Freetown, Sierra Leone) where he worked as marketing manager.
After completing his tour of duty in West Africa, he was promoted to divisional marketing manager and ran the rule over the western and the eastern regions in East Africa. In 1981, he was again promoted to production director and held the post until his retirement in 1989.
Birth of Garden Tea
In 1982, during the Obote II regime—when tobacco plants were frequently closed due to lack of raw materials—two friends of Ntaki’s (Mzee Ezra Nyakana and the late Omukama of Tooro Patrick Kaboyo who at the time were working with Mitchell Cotts in Nairobi) introduced him to the idea of starting a tea company.
Ntaki started researching the tea industry. He put all the work experience he had garnered, and the rest is history. Garden Tea was born albeit under Eagle Investments Limited. In 1985, he started building the tea packing factory in Jinja. Ten years later they purchased an old coffee factory in Monico, which he later converted to a tea factory. They also purchased another tea estate in Wampewo (Mityana) opposite Kitalya Prison.
Ntaki is survived by a wife (Victoria Mbaziira; his first wife Mary Anne Nyirahabimana died) and six children. He was laid to rest on Saturday at his tea estate in Monico, Lugazi Municipality.
Remembering Ntaki
Paul Claude Uwingenzi Sine Ntaki, son.
His most endearing gifts to us were the example of working hard whether employed or in your own enterprise. He showed us that you can build and grow a national product and brand. Secondly, love of our faith, the Holy Roman Catholic Church and, lastly, that to stumble is not to fall but to move forward.
Edith Diana Kangeyo Ntaki Andoh, daughter.
His home was open to everyone. There was always a relative staying with us. He knew our friends and took interest in what we were up to. When in boarding school, he would write encouraging letters and pay surprise visits. He listened to our woes and gave great advice. He never stopped learning.
Elias Habakurama, personal lawyer and cousin.
He has been very instrumental in my spiritual, family and professional life without whose unconditional love, moral and financial support through legal instructions I would not be what I am today. He was an accomplished innovative indigenous investor who made tangible contributions towards the socio-economic transformation of Uganda. His simplicity, humility was unequaled.
Aunty Pauline, relative. My dear cousin on several occasions rescued me financially and emotionally, God bless you, Big Brother.
Alex Sevume, employee, Garden. Mr Ntaki was a very principled man, one of the best timekeepers I know. If you agreed to a certain time it would be it. He was a typical disciplinarian who prioritised values and character over anything else. At work, he would end up hiring those less educated and leave out the educated if they exhibited indiscipline.
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