Uganda has lost one of its most enduring entrepreneurial pioneers with the passing of Omulangira Dr. Paul Mawanda Kyabaggu, the founder and long-serving Chairman of Bukoola Chemical Industries Ltd (BCIL). Dr. Kyabaggu died on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, in India, at the age of 80.
A Pioneer in Agribusiness
For more than five decades, Dr. Kyabaggu stood as a towering figure in Uganda’s agribusiness landscape. In 1973, he founded Bukoola Chemical Industries as a modest family-run enterprise trading in general merchandise. With vision and persistence, he steered it into a formidable force in Uganda’s agrochemical sector.
By 1996, the company had expanded operations to import and distribute a wide range of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and crop protection products. Today, Bukoola serves millions of farmers and communities across Uganda and the region, offering over 50 science-backed solutions that have transformed agricultural productivity.
At the firm’s golden jubilee in 2022, Dr. Kyabaggu reflected on his lifelong mission: “to advance the science of crop protection by providing top-quality, solution-based products.” That mission became not just the company’s motto, but a national contribution to food security and farmer empowerment.
Building Beyond Business
Dr. Kyabaggu’s vision extended well beyond commerce. He was an ardent believer in education as a pathway to empowerment. He founded St. Joseph of Nazareth Secondary School and St. Simon Nazareth Primary School, institutions that continue to shape the lives of thousands of Ugandan learners.
His leadership style—defined by humility, discipline, and a deep sense of service—was as evident in the classroom as it was in the boardroom. He built institutions not just for profit, but for people.
Honours and Recognition
Over the years, Bukoola Chemical Industries, under his stewardship, became a decorated name in Ugandan industry. The company was repeatedly recognized at the Visionaries of Uganda Awards as the Best Visionary Agricultural Inputs Company of the Year, and also clinched the People’s Choice Quality Award in the Best Crop Care Products category for three consecutive years.
PRAU Honors Uganda’s Top Innovators at 9th Excellence AwardsThese recognitions cemented Bukoola’s reputation as more than a business—it was a national partner in Uganda’s agricultural journey, aligned with the country’s Vision 2040 aspirations.
A Legacy That Endures
Dr. Kyabaggu embodied the ethos of a true nation-builder. His life’s work empowered farmers, educated young people, and built lasting institutions. To his employees, he was more than a boss—he was a mentor. To farmers, he was a reliable ally. To Uganda, he was a statesman of enterprise.
Importantly, he ensured that the business he built would remain in capable hands. His son, Dr. Peter B. K. Kyabaggu, a PhD holder in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a Harvard Business School executive programme participant, is the current Managing Director of Bukoola Chemical Industries. Under his leadership, the company continues to innovate, expand, and champion sustainability in agribusiness—carrying forward his father’s vision into the future.
As Bukoola and Uganda at large mourn his departure, his story remains an enduring reminder that private enterprise, when guided by vision and service, can change the destiny of communities.
Dr. Kyabaggu is survived by his family and an institutional legacy that will inspire generations to come. Funeral arrangements are underway, with daily evening Mass at his home in Lubowa.
Rest well, Omulangira Dr. Paul Mawanda Kyabaggu. Uganda’s fields are greener, its farmers stronger, and its future brighter because of you.
