The owner of Cafe Pap, a leading chain of popular Kampala city coffee shops on Thursday succumbed to cancer.
Jolly Ngabirano, passed away in Germany where she was receiving treatment. She was the wife of Henry Ngabirano, the former Executive Director of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).
There has has been an outpouring of grief on social media platforms with a number of Ugandans praising the sister of fallen ex-Uganda army commander, Gen Aronda Nyakairima.
“OOOh my God. I can’t believe that your gone. Your were always there for me, you often insisted that I must have a clear business plan all the time. Even when I tried to dodge you thinking you were being strict on me you would look for me until I produce it. You were such an amazing mentor,friend and a mother. I will for ever miss you. R.I.P my darling,” Flavia Rwabukumba wrote on her Facebook account.
Benson Obua Ogwal said, “The death of Cafe Pap proprietor, Jolly Ngabirano, has really saddened me. I got to know Jolly more closely when she enrolled as a pioneer student at the Business Development Center (BDC Uganda) in 2013. Despite being a very successful businesswoman, Jolly’s hunger for new knowledge and skills was unquenchable. She was so studious and very humble about it. She was always part of our occasional programs even after graduating. As the Chair of the Board of Directors, I’d like on behalf of the Board, Management, Tutors, Business Coaches and Alumni of BDC Uganda to express our most sincere condolences to the bereaved family. May the Lord comfort them. It’s our prayer that Cafe Pap around which Jolly’s passion revolved will remain strong and keep her legacy alive.”
The coffee shop opened in 2004 and according to the fallen director, it was one of the first four.
“When we opened on April 23, 2004, there were only two shops selling coffee and its products. It was a new culture and concept,” Jolly said in interview in 2012.
She was also the proprietor of Ihamba Lakeside Safaris.
“Mrs. Jolly Ngabirano, Proprietor Ihamba Lakeside Safari lodge(Queen Elizabeth National Park ) and CAFÉ Pap(est.2004), one of Uganda’s brewers of super quality coffee in Uganda has gone to be with the Lord. Am grateful for the love and support she extended towards the events that i have coordinated in tourism. A selfless and motherly character she radiated. It’s unfortunate that she hasn’t lived to celebrate the Ngamba 20th anniversary! Till we meet again Mama Coffee! I’ll take some coffee this evening,” Eric Ntalo wrote.
“She often called me for coffee, lunch just to share tourism experiences, she checked on me like a mother and she was a friend. Sad you are gone, Rest Well Jolly,” Geoffrey Baluku wrote, a tour operator wrote.
Cafe Pap has outlets at Parliament Avenue, Amadinda House, Ntinda and at Garden City Yusuf Lule Road has been at the forefront of the coffee business in Kampala since 2004.
