- Michael Ezra
-
Michael Ezra Mulyoowa
Michael Ezra Mulyoowa, known in the media as Michael Ezra, is the Founder of Ezra Track Team Board ETTB, a Kampala-based sports philanthropic financing and talent search agency. He is a philanthropist known for his donations towards sporting causes in his home country. He is believed to be one of the wealthiest Africans alive.[1]
Contents
Biography
Born in Kampala, Uganda on July 20, 1973, Mr. Michael Ezra is a former Uganda national team sprinter. His known investment vehicle is Sunspace International, a holding company based out of Seychelles.The company has a wide portfolio with its main activity being venture capitalism but is also involved in international money and food markets,high-end real estate developments to mention but a few.[2] It is reported that his Dubai investments alone stand at over $1.5 billion,with the bulk of it in real estate[3] . The media have been fascinated by his opulent lifestyle. In November 2006, he paid over US$250,000 for an exclusive MontBlanc wristwatch.[4] He gained international media attention with his £60 million bid for English Premiership club Leeds United[5] as well as recent negotiations with Airbus to buy an A380.
Philanthropic Activity
2003
- Made his first public appearance with a 12 million Ugandan shilling sponsorship of the Uganda athletic team headed for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland.[6]
2004
- ETTB established national athletics camps across Uganda with the aim of scouting talent.
- Extended sponsorship to boxing, where he spent roughly US$500,000 in a qualification campaign and a nine-month camp for the Uganda national boxing team, The Bombers, in the run-up to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
2007
- Expanded ETTB's activities into football (soccer), by spending UGX 60 million to send a cash-strapped Uganda national team , The Cranes, to Niamey, Niger for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.[7]
- In September, he awarded The Cranes US$100,000. Awarding the coach $15,000, two assistant coaches $2,500 each and the 16 player squad $5,000 each after they beat Niger 3-1 in a qualifier.[8]
2008
- Together with other celebrities, he helped raise money for the McDonald's Children Aid Foundation charity in Hamburg, Germany.
Media News
In February 2004 Michael Ezra made a £60 Million bid to buy then English Premiership club Leeds United,[9] causing the club's shares to go up by 14% as a result. The bid was rejected by the club.
In mid-2004 Michael Ezra made the Government of Uganda a US$ 30 million dollar offer to purchase the Uganda National Stadium (Mandela National Stadium).Although the media reported that the then State Minister for Sports, Henry Oryem Okello, expressed his support of the offer, there was no official response from the Government of Uganda.[10]
In 2006, he was named the man of the year by a public poll held annually by The New Vision, a Ugandan media house.He was the runner-up to the President of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,for four years between 2003 and 2005 and in 2007.[11]
In November 2006, he paid over a US$250,000 for an exclusive Mont Blanc wristwatch.[12] The "one of one" timepiece was the object of an Emirates auction commemorating 100 years of Mont Blanc. With a reserve price of US$65,000, the auction attracted a total of 36 entries.[13] Michael Ezra's bid constituted the single biggest purchase in the 60 year history of the Duty Free Industry. The timepiece was handed over to the Ugandan Businessman by His Highness Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum in Dubai.[14]
In May 2008, he entered into negotiations with the French aircraft maker Airbus for an A380 to be used as a private jet.[15]
In July 2009 a scam targeted towards fleecing Michael Ezra was discovered. He survived being conned by an American internet con artist who almost made away with US$5.93 million.[16]
In August 2010,on his arrival back into the country, the media reported that Michael Ezra had not remitted taxes to the tune of 1.1 Billion (approximately $500,000) to the Uganda government.This prompted the tax body ,URA,to request the government to impose a travel ban.Although,whether it was implemented or not was not revealed.[17] Around the same time it emerged in the mainstream media that Michael Ezra was ordered by the commercial court to pay back a loan of roughly Ush 430 Million (approx. $195,000),including interest,to National Bank of Commerce (Uganda).[18]
In September 2010, he called a press conference in one of the most luxurious hotels in the Ugandan capital Kampala and displayed a stack of $ 3 Million dollars to prove to the world that he is not yet to go bust as alleged by the Ugandan media.[19] The allegations stem from his failure to pay Uganda's tax body 1.3 billion Shillings in taxes. The tax body had asked the Internal Affairs ministry to withhold his passport.[20]
In October 2010,while touring Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi Kenya,he informed the Daily Monitor of his offer to the Uganda Cranes of US$ 650,000 should they qualify to the 2012 African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.He has also thrown in an additional US$ 50,000 if they win the Group J qualifier against Kenya's Harambee Stars on the 9th of October 2010 in Nairobi Kenya.The $650,000 will be broken down as follows 18 Players $30,000 each, Coach $60,000, Assistant Coach $25,000, Goalkeeping Coach $25,000.[21]
In February 2011, Michael Ezra was ‘arrested’ by the Kenyan police who were acting on an arrest warrant issued by the court the previous year. It was said Ezra did not honor court summons to defend himself against allegations that he issued a cheque worth $200,000, which was dishonored, to a Kenyan company.[22] Ezra, through his lawyer, said he was not aware of the summons and denied the charges brought against him. His lawyer said that the offense was a misdemeanor and bailable. He also argued that Ezra was a prominent international businessman who owned numerous properties in Kenya and was not arrested but handed himself to the authorities and therefore was not a flight risk. The Judge granted a bail of Ksh 6 Million ($78,000).[23]Ezra’s lawyer claimed in court that a Kenyan businessman was framing his client with the intention of extorting money from him. The case is to be heard on 10th May 2011.[24]
In October 2011; Michael Ezra Mulyoowa, in true philanthropic style, said he will award the Uganda Cranes with half of the October 2010 pledge of US$ 650,000 despite them not qualifying for the Africa Cup Of Nations. He promised they would receive the money by the end of November 2011. Each of the 18 players stands to receive US$15,000. The Cranes coach would pocket US$30,000 with his assistant and goalkeeping coach receiving US$12,500 each.[25]
References
- / On-board auction nets $250,000 for Charity Maktoob News November 20, 2006
- / Biggest transaction in travel retail. The Moddie Report November 21, 2006
- / Smile Train Charity dinner attracts notable guest. The Moddie Report June 6, 2007
- Ugandan tycoon orders second Airbus. Luxist May 8, 2008
- /Leeds bid delayed by board row. RTE Sport February 10, 2004
- Businessman escapes $5.93 Million scam. The Gulf Today
- / Ugandan tycoon upbeat on bid. BBC News February 11, 2004
- Cranes rewarded US$100,000. The New Vision September 25, 2007
- Ezra wins $250,000 watch auction. The New Vision November 19, 2006
- Ezra pays for cranes trip. The New Vision October 2, 2006
- Why Ezra bought watch. The New vision November 27, 2006
- Excited Ezra gives team $100,000 despite maths. The Daily monitor September 27, 2007
- Ezra extends support to arua. The Daily Monitor October 13, 2007
- Ezra supports local film. The Daily Monitor December 22, 2007
- Ezra supports Ugandan Boxing The Age April 28, 2004
- Ezra offers 1.6 Billion if cranes qualify The Daily Monitor October 5, 2010
External links
Footnotes
- ^ The Gulf Today His Dubai investments are said to be over $1.5 Billion(Last visited 21 August 2010)
- ^ Sunspace International [1](Last visited 28 October 2010)
- ^ The Gulf Today His Dubai investments are said to be over $1.5 Billion(Last visited 28 October 2010)
- ^ Dubai City Guide Emirates and MontBlanc's on-board auction nets $250,000(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ The Guardian UK Leeds takeover bid stalls(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ BBC Sport / Uganda Tycoon upbeat on bid(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ The New Vision Ezra Pays for Cranes Trip(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ The New Vision Cranes rewarded $100,000(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ The Telegraph UK / Uganda Tycoon is latest leeds saviour(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ Mail Archive Ezra offers $30m for Namboole Stadium (Last visited 02 April 2011)
- ^ New Vision The best and worst of 2006(Last visited 02 April 2011)
- ^ Khaleej Times In-flight Auction raises $250,000 for charity(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ MONTBLANC Dutyfree(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ The Moodie Report / In-flight buying history(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ Wall street Journal Blog The Worlds largest private jet(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ The Gulf Today Scam eluded(Last visited 16 March 2010)
- ^ New Vision Uganda URA blocks Michael Ezra from travel(Last visited 29 August 2010)
- ^ New Vision Uganda Businessman told to pay bank(Last visited 26 August 2010)
- ^ New Vision Tycoon Michael Ezra shows off cash(Last visited 03 September 2010)
- ^ Daily Monitor Ezra flashes $3 Million at journalists(Last visited 03 September 2010)
- ^ Daily Monitor Ezra offers 1.6 Billion if cranes qualify(Last visited 05 October 2010)
- ^ The Standard Flying Squad arrest Ugandan tycoon(Last visited 10 March 2011)
- ^ The Standard Court Releases Ugandan tycoon on Sh6 Million bond(Last visited 10 March 2011)
- ^ Daily Nation Ugandan tycoon blames Kenyan Businessman for woes(Last visited 10 March 2011)
- ^ The Star Uganda tycoon Ezra rewards Cranes after Kenya game (Last visited 12 October 2011)
Categories:- Ugandan businesspeople
- Businesspeople in real estate
- 1973 births
- Living people
- People from Kampala
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