This archive report was first published on 19 July 2019.
Ugandan socialite Zari Hassan has been at the center of controversy over her late ex-husband Ivan Ssemwanga's empire, which she inherited after his death in 2017.
Speaking in a recent interview, Zari addressed the issue, stating that she and Ivan built the empire together from scratch, and she's been working hard to keep it running smoothly.
“Watu wakisema oh pesa za urithi huwezi hata kama umewacha mamilioni ukawachia mwanamke mjinga sasa hivi miaka miwili hivyo vitu vikawa bado vipo. Shule ingekuwa ishafunga, gari hazipo, majumba hayapo, yaani kila kitu,” she said.
She added that despite having several pending projects, she's still managing everything and will continue to prove her critics wrong.
“Uganda kuna unfinished hotel, they’re two big buildings worth 5 million Dollars and uncompleted and at this rate. Hio project unajua vile Ivan amefariki kumekuwa na vitu vingi, madeni kidogo unajua nilikuwa nimeweka bidii sana kuona hizi deni zimelipwa. Tungekuwa hatujalipa hizi deni nyumba zingekuwa zimeenda, hio hoteli Uganda ingekuwa imeenda, vitu vingi vingekuwa vimeenda lakini vile amefariki nimejitahidi sana,” said Zari.
She also emphasized that she and Ivan worked together to build the empire, saying, “Mimi na Ivan tumekutana when we had nothing, we hustled our way to build this empire that is still standing today the legacy.”
