Musa Body Katende, born on June 20, 1995, has established Musa Body Careers and Advisory Company, departing from his family's machinery and metal fabrication business to focus on career development, education and travel services. The company offers immigration and migration advisory services, study-abroad guidance, visa documentation support and travel-related assistance to Ugandans seeking international opportunities. This represents a significant shift from Musa Body Machinery Ltd, the family's established industrial and metal fabrication enterprise based in Katwe, Kampala, which produces machinery and equipment for various applications.
Katende credits his international exposure and work experience for opening his eyes to opportunities beyond the family business. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Sunny Lone University in California and two bachelor's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. He also worked at Oracle before deciding to launch his own venture. "As I grew up, I started travelling across the globe, studying and doing different jobs. I also got an opportunity to work at Oracle, where I learnt a couple of skills before deciding to venture away from my father's company, Musa Body Machinery, to start my own company, Musa Body Careers Group, with the aim of helping Ugandans travel to other parts of the world," Katende said. His travels included Luxembourg, Germany, Sweden, Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Qatar.
Despite acquiring engineering skills from his father's factory as a child, breaking away from the family enterprise proved challenging. Growing up in Katwe, Katende faced pressure to follow his father's path in machinery and manufacturing. He recalled being mocked by residents for not knowing his father's trade, which prompted his mother to encourage him to spend time at the factory. "I remember my daddy, Musa Body Wakibi, used to say I was one of the cleverest children he had. When I was about 11 years old, some residents of Katwe used to mock me, saying I knew nothing about my father's job. This prompted my mother to start sending me to my father's factory, where I learnt how to make machines," he said. He learned to manufacture brick-making machines, charcoal stoves, maize mills and generators during these formative years.
At his advisory company, Katende assists clients with student admissions, visa applications, spouse visas and visit visas, while providing guidance on application procedures and requirements for settling in destination countries. The company does not recruit people for employment abroad but instead focuses on advisory services and documentation support. Katende emphasises that the objective is to help clients understand requirements, assess options and make informed decisions before committing money to international plans. Fraud remains a significant challenge in the migration and travel advisory sector, with unscrupulous individuals exploiting Ugandans by promising opportunities abroad and taking their money without delivering services. To combat this, Katende's company requires clients to provide genuine and authentic documents and has incorporated digital systems including agreements, policies and memoranda of understanding to improve transparency, maintain records and minimise forgery and deception.
For entrepreneurs and business owners in Uganda, Katende's journey demonstrates how the next generation can draw on family business legacies and practical experience while pursuing independent ventures that address emerging needs in education and international mobility.