President Museveni Meets Princess Zahra, Honors Late Aga Khan IV

• Feb 21, 2025

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni met with Princess Zahra Aga Khan on Wednesday at State Lodge Nakasero, where he paid tribute to her late father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV. The late Aga Khan, a respected spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslim community and a businessman, passed away on February 4, 2025, in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 88.

During the meeting, President Museveni extended his condolences to the Aga Khan family and reflected on his past encounters with the late leader. He recalled awarding him a medal during a visit to Bushenyi and expressed his surprise at his passing.

“I was surprised when I heard about his death because at 88 years old, he was not old,” Museveni remarked.

Childhood Memories of the Aga Khan

President Museveni also spoke about his early memories of the Aga Khan’s influence in Uganda. He recalled that in his village, Indian-owned shops often displayed three pictures: the Queen of England, the Aga Khan, and the local king.

He first became aware of the Aga Khan’s leadership as a young boy in the late 1950s.

“It must have been around 1957-1958, when I was 12 years old, that I noticed four Indian families in Ntungamo hanging pictures of a young man. They told us he was the new ‘King’ (Mukama) of the Indians. We thought he was the King of all Indians,” he said.

He fondly remembered some of the Indian families from his childhood, including Budala (Abdallah) and Mamudali (Mohammed Ali), as well as two Basiiri families from Yemen.

Uganda’s Strong Ties with the Aga Khan

President Museveni emphasized Uganda’s long-standing relationship with the Aga Khan and the contributions of the Ismaili community to the country’s development.

“Since I came into government, I had the opportunity to meet His Highness. He and his community have been very supportive of Uganda and other African countries,” he said.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan, who has been deeply involved in the Aga Khan Development Network’s initiatives, reaffirmed her personal connection with Uganda.

“I have been to Uganda many times. The first time I came here was in 1990, and I was here last year and the year before,” she said.

As a board member of the Aga Khan University, she highlighted the institution’s role in higher education and healthcare in Uganda. She also made a special request, asking President Museveni to pray for the soul of the late Aga Khan IV.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President of Aga Khan University, and Mr. Amin M. Mawji OBE, the Aga Khan Development Network’s Diplomatic Representative to Uganda and Kenya.