AYA Group is run like a family

AYA Group, which started 10 years ago, has become as a household name in the wheat flour business. It has diversified into bakery, biscuit manufacturing, transport, and now is involved in the hotel industry. AYA is the brain behind the famous Hilton Hotel which has become a dominant feature of the Kampala city skyline.

Mohammed Hamid, Chairman AYA Group What is your day like?

My day starts at 6 with prayers as a religious man. Between 6:30 and 7, I drop my children to school and later proceed to my office. When I reach the office, I draft what I have to achieve in the day. I set the targets of what to achieve and then I review what was not achieved the previous day and why I did not achieve my targets.

Between 8 am and 10 am I receive reports from my general managers and discuss with them the challenges and also tip them on how to achieve the set targets. We also discuss new marketing strategies and I offer solutions where they have encountered problems.

What challenges do you face?

The biggest challenge is that, as a chief executive officer of the AYA Group, I have to have hands on management or else I will pay the biggest price of any mistake in the group. Ugandans and Africans at large need to be pushed. When you relax, they also relax. They lack self drive. It is very difficult to find completely honest and trustworthy hard working people because some have a hidden, corrupt, and heinous agenda. As the CEO I constantly check out on those with the ill-intentions. It is hard to erase off all the ill-intentioned people but I at least minimise their ill-intentions.

How are you resolving the challenges?

I deal with each category and devise appropriate action to minimise on loses that I would have incurred. At AYA we act as a family sharing all problems with the top managers up to the lowest worker and agree on the way forward. We share successes and solutions for the betterment of our company.

Hamid’s tips to successful business management?

One of the major tips is to get involved in the day-to-day running of my businesses.
The second is to share challenges and successes with my employees.
The third is to make my employees feel to be part and parcel of the company.

What is your opinion of Ugandan workers?

There are very many good and hard working people and there are also tricky people. However Ugandan workers are fine people contrary to what people think of them.

What puts you off most?

The worst is when a person plays on my psychology yet what that person is saying is lies. That is what I hate most in my life. It is common with employees when they have failed to deliver on an assignment or when they are late on delivering. They will always find funny excuses to give and these really put me off because I am a person who believes in results.

What pleases you most?

When I am having time off and talking with my daughters. That is the most pleasing moment in my life. Being with my family rejuvenates my energy and relieves me of stress.

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written by paul Anyuru, July 17, 2009

I am disappointed that someone who has made money from Africans can say: " Ugandans and Africans at large need to be pushed.." and not be challenged.

Shame on you for letting this happen!

AFRICANS HAVE BUILD THE WORLD WITH THEIR SUFFERINGS AT THE HAND OF PEOPLE WHO THINK LIKE YOU!

THAT LIE DOES NOT BITE ON US ANYMORE!

Senior Consultant, Internal Auditi & Risk Advisory
written by Otongdel Sammy Zsack, July 17, 2009

I absolutely agree and appreciate your management style. I personally believe in results and I have often said let the work of my hand speak for itself. I hope to meet you in the near future when I am in Uganda.

Please, Mohammed keep up this spirit and thank for the lead.

-1

Senior Consultant, Internal Audit & Risk Advisory
written by Otongdel Sammy Zsack, July 17, 2009

Mohammed, Many thank for the lead. I entirely agree with your management style. I for one share the same with you. I belive in hard work and results and I have often said let the work of my hand speak for itself.

Once again thank for the good work you are performing at AYA Group of Companies. Hope to meet.

AYA HILTON
written by David Basobokwe, July 18, 2009

Ugandans and Africans at large need to be pushed. When you relax, they also relax. They lack self drive. It is very difficult to find completely honest and trustworthy hard working people because some have a hidden, corrupt, and heinous agenda. REALLY? That weight you are showing off is because of favours from Mu7 against Ugandans. Shame on you!

"Ugandans need to be pushed"
written by Kyakabale, July 20, 2009

When an Arab talks like that, no one should be surprised. Their brains got stack in slave driving.

Who's behind AYA?
written by Rev Amos Kasibante, July 20, 2009

There are many tricky people and many hard working people. That statement says nothing, but that is true the world over. Tell us more who is behind AYA...shareholders etc?

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written by Paul Anyuru, July 22, 2009

I feel that the people who have been most insulted by
the comment are not reacting...
Here is a person who has become so rich and powerful that he can insult all Ugandans including their rulers, all Africans, all blacks and nobody reacts!!
We Ugandans have been proud of our graduates and this man just ****ed there chances by claiming that in spite of all the degrees they need to be treated like children in order to perform!

Please say something.. somebody with the power to do so!

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written by chris okumu, July 26, 2009

If ugandans and africans need to be pushed how about arabs and why don´t you go back and work with your fellow arabs who are easy to work with?why is that hotel years behind schedule?It is outrageous for arabs to come and insult us in our own country.Go back wherever you came from and help your fellow arabs reclaim their land from isreal.

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written by Paul Anyuru, July 28, 2009

I do not believe that there is any special bad

qualities that are connected to special group of

people or race! Look at Uganda: first we ware free,

then a protectorate, then independent ONE, TWO, THREE ...

Some tribes are still second class citizens , some

are starving to death, while others are dyeing from overeating. No

arabs to blame there!

We have to learn to detect the language of a robber!

Ask any afro american : over 400 years have gone by ; no arabs and

yet we still suffer !

It has got nothing to do with religion,race or tribe but

ROBBERY!!

Make the victim feel incapable or less than human

and then rob him dry!!

supervise
written by manasi s, August 04, 2009

MY MD od aya your need to think before airinf sure committe . because in the end you will fail to pay the cost , if i was the own of the company i could easy fire him , as a top manage you can not say that you work as time yet ant same time, the people you claim to work with are not trustworth , do you think , their will trust you . for your information you need to apologise to your claim team workers .

My comments deleted
written by John, November 10, 2009

I posted a comment here about the article but the comment was deleted. May be coz I put blame on the journalist who interviewed this guy . Looks like the guy enjoyed being insulted, otherwise he wouldnt have posted the interview.

MD, Technosure K Ltd
written by Kelli, January 15, 2010

Absurd I would say, This man has no shame and he is a disappointment not only to his brothers in UAE but to the business community world over, I have worked with his 'people' and believe you me, they are worse, but do we say? Well, i think most of his people still have the infamous 'slave driving hangover' in South Sudan, they have perfected the art. I think this guy should just pack & leave, may be to Yemeni? or Afghanistan

CEO
written by MCphee Maggie, July 09, 2010

It is a shame that a con artist like Hamid, who with his brother, Mohammed El fatir, had nothing in 1995 until they cheated many people including the late Ahmed Farah, Kato family and others outside Uganda. The master planner for all these companies is Mohammed El fatir who can not perform any direct business b
because he is a wanted fugitive in Holland and Tanzania (deported from both countries).

These brothers are thieves who will flash out of this country sooner than later. I feel sorry for Museveni because he will be ruined and humiliated for having dealt with these con artists.

Maggie Mcphee

Melbourne, Ausralia

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