Andrew Kansiime Kananura alias Desh
Andrew Kansiime Kananura alias Desh is one of Kampala’s socialites, whose life, deals and source of dime has remained a mystery. Though many people think, he is a security operative, he is just a pal to some members of the First Family. He is elusive but his name rings high in the minds of Kampala’s tycoons. Desh was in born in early 1970s in Nsambya to Stella Kagandi Kananura, a banker and Mzee Kananura, who was a top director in the now extinct Shell BB. His father died and his mother is currently in the UK where she has a church. He grew up in Kololo and his family home neighbours included Charles Otti of Covomo Buses, Oryem of Bee Line Buses, Late Col. Smith Apon Ochak, Otema Ali Madi and Wilson Ogwang (both deceased). Having grown up in such a neighbourhood of prominent people from Northern Uganda he was able to learn languages like Acholi, Langi and this has enabled a son of a Mukiga man to dominate business.
He got the name ‘Desh’ from his pals who used to mock him about his light skinned colour, saying he is a crossbreed of the departed Asians from Bangladesh.
His father died in 1992 and this gave him a challenge start working at an early stage in his life. After his ‘A’ Level he went to study in the UK, where he did a series of Kyeyo jobs. He studied during day and worked at night, so as to pay his bills. After his first degree at Barking University (Hearts) UK, he returned to Uganda and came to limelight when he tried motor sport. When he failed to pick in the sport he delved into car business. He came back with a sleek car from the UK and sold it to start business. He went back and brought another car which he sold to get capital. He later started getting money from city tycoons whom he would buy expensive rides from the UK where he had close pals. When the business worked out, he started importing posh cars most of which carried personalised number plates. Among his first swanky rides was a BMW 850i, which had customised number plates ‘4 Desh’.
His name has since become synonymous with the swanky cars in the country. These cars earned him a lot of profits. He has so far sold posh cars to Moses Matsiko of Pinnaco Security Company; Andrew Mwenda of The Independent; Dr. Luu Achinese, proprietor of the LMZ toothpaste; Brig Henry Tumukunde, Tycoon Obadia, Barnabas Taremwa of Mayfair Casino, Tycoon Kitaka of Kitaka Construction Co. Ltd.
Love Life
Though he is a renowned city partier, Desh has so far sired four kids from two women. When he recently introduced his long time Rwandese girlfriend Sheila Talatibu, a mother of two his other lover Barbra, the mother of two who used to work at dfcu Corporate Bank along Acacia Road but now at UNDP left Desh’s home. Desh stays with Sheila in Naguru, Barbra stays in Mbuya. Barbra is the mother first born Agasha Kananura. He used to date a vulnerable gal from a powerful and influential family in the country. However the parents of the gal had an upper hand to choose the man to marry in their family and that’s how the car deal missed out.
