Zari Hassan has responded to critics who continue to claim that her wealth came from her late former husband, Ivan Semwanga.
The South Africa-based Ugandan businesswoman says that is not the full story.
According to Zari, she and Ivan started from humble beginnings and built their wealth together. She has previously explained that they combined their strengths and ambitions to create the businesses and lifestyle they later became known for.
That is why she rejects suggestions that she simply inherited a fortune Ivan had built on his own.
The debate around their wealth became even more complicated after Ivan’s death in May 2017. Zari later took on responsibilities connected to some of his assets, including overseeing the running of his schools in South Africa.
In 2020, Ivan’s family named his eldest son, Pinto Ntale, as the official heir to his estate, while Zari remained involved in matters concerning her children’s interests.
But Zari’s response to critics has remained unchanged. She says her knowledge of business and wealth creation comes from the years she spent building alongside Ivan, not from simply stepping into his fortune after his death.
People may see the wealth today, but Zari says they did not see the years it took to build it.