Family business leaders gathered in Uganda have been called upon to institutionalise their values, strengthen succession planning and nurture healthy family relationships to ensure their enterprises survive and prosper across generations. The message came at the fourth annual Enjovu Family Business Conference, held on October 16, 2026, at the International School of Uganda in Lubowa and organised by the Enjovu Family in partnership with I&M Bank Uganda Limited. Business leaders from three generations across agriculture, law, education, manufacturing and industry attended to discuss how family enterprises can sustain operations, preserve wealth and pass on their legacies.
Owek. Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa, Deputy Katikkiro of Buganda and patron of Enjovu Family Business, stressed that preserving a legacy goes beyond financial transfer. He explained that values must be clearly defined and embedded in business operations to endure beyond founders. He illustrated this by noting that his family places such high value on education that educational background is considered more important than wealth when potential spouses join the family. Nsibirwa emphasised that values must be reflected in practical decisions, leadership conduct and family relationships, and that institutionalising these values allows families to preserve both wealth and the principles underpinning their enterprises.
Sam Ntulume, Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer at I&M Bank Uganda, highlighted that building a successful enterprise is only part of the journey, with business owners also needing to consider how generated wealth is preserved, managed and transferred to future generations. He noted that I&M Bank itself originated as a family business whose values had endured for 50 years. Ntulume said succession planning must address both who takes over the business and how accumulated wealth is transferred, adding that I&M Capital, recently launched in Uganda, offers investment and wealth-management solutions covering local government securities and equities, money-market investments and offshore opportunities through international equities, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds.
Canon Dr. Ruth Ssenyonyi, a counselling psychologist who delivered the keynote address, focused on healing family relationships as essential to protecting business legacies. She warned that unresolved personal and family conflicts can undermine business performance and continuity, and that family enterprises face threats from internal disagreements, financial pressures, divorce and members' failure to take responsibility. Ssenyonyi stressed that functional families provide stronger foundations for sustainable businesses, and that strengthening family relationships should be treated as an integral part of business planning because family stability influences business resilience and long-term success.
Sophia Nampijja, a legal expert and partner at Katende, Ssempebwa and Company Advocates, emphasised the importance of clear legal and succession arrangements to protect family wealth and facilitate smooth generational transitions. She urged families to seek legal guidance before crises arise and to review succession plans regularly to reflect changing circumstances. Manish Varsani of Tororo Cement, a third-generation business leader who presided as guest of honour, urged family members to respect the business as an institution requiring protection regardless of individual differences, and stressed the importance of faith, respect for parents and recruiting the right people to support growth.
For savers, borrowers, business owners and investors in Uganda, the conference underscored that sustaining family enterprises requires combining financial success with shared values, responsible leadership and sound legal and financial planning strong enough to support the business through generational change.