By Kabuye Ronald
Musa Body Katende, son of renowned Ugandan innovator and entrepreneur Musa Body Wakibi, has taken a different career path from his father’s established machinery business to venture into career development, education and travel advisory services.
Katende, who grew up around his father’s industrial and metal fabrication enterprise, Musa Body Machinery Ltd, in Katwe, Kampala, says his exposure to international education, travel and employment inspired him to establish Musa Body Careers Group to help Ugandans explore opportunities abroad.
Despite acquiring practical experience in machinery innovation and formal training in engineering, Musa Body Katende chose to pursue a different entrepreneurial path, focusing on immigration and migration advisory, study-abroad guidance, visa application support and travel-related services.
Musa Body Katende during one of the advisory session at his office in Kizungu Makindye
Born on June 20, 1995, Musa Body Katende says he holds a Master of Business Administration from Sunny Lone University in California, United States, as well as two bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering, specialising in Machinery and Fittings, and another in Construction and Engineering from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.
He says his decision to establish a business outside his family’s traditional line of work was informed by the opportunities he encountered while studying, travelling and working abroad.
“As I grew up, I started to travel across the globe, study and do different jobs. I also got an opportunity to work at Oracle, where I learnt a couple of skills before deciding to venture away from my father’s company, Musa Body Machinery, to start my own company, Musa Body Careers Group, with the aim of helping Ugandans travel to other parts of the world,” Musa Body Katende said.
Musa Body Wakibi father of Musa Body Katende
Musa Body Katende’s journey began in Katwe, where his father’s machinery business exposed him to practical engineering and manufacturing skills at an early age.
He recalls that, at about 11 years old, some residents of Katwe mocked him, claiming he knew nothing about his father’s work. The experience prompted his mother to send him to the family factory, where he learnt how different machines were made.
According to Katende, the experience introduced him to the production of brick-making machines, charcoal stoves, maize hulling machines and generators, among other equipment.
He says his father, Musa Body Wakibi, often praised his abilities, while the practical lessons at the factory gave him a foundation in machinery and entrepreneurship.
After gaining the initial experience, his mother supported his further education abroad, taking him to several countries, including Luxembourg, Germany, Sweden, Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Qatar.
Katende says the exposure broadened his understanding of the opportunities available beyond the family business and encouraged him to develop an independent career.
“Leaving my father’s business wasn’t an easy decision because I had learnt everything at a very young age. But when I went abroad, I discovered that there were a variety of opportunities Ugandans could utilise instead of having the mentality of only working for or running family businesses. That created the need for me to venture out on my own,” Musa Body Katende said.
Musa Body Katende says establishing a careers, education and travel advisory company presented challenges, particularly because the sector requires significant investment, marketing and the ability to build trust among clients.
He explains that moving from a machinery business to a service-oriented enterprise meant entering a different market, with a different customer base and operational demands.
However, he says the experience gained from working in his father’s company, coupled with the skills acquired during his international exposure and employment at Oracle, helped him navigate the transition.
Through Musa Body Careers Group, Katende says the company assists clients seeking educational and travel opportunities in other countries.
Its services include guidance on securing admission to educational institutions, student visa applications, spouse visas, visitor visas and preparation of supporting documents. The company also offers guidance to clients seeking information about navigating and settling in their destination countries.
Musa Body Katende says the business is intended to bridge the gap between Ugandans seeking opportunities abroad and the relevant service providers.
He emphasises that the company does not recruit people for overseas jobs but instead provides advisory and application-support services to clients pursuing legitimate opportunities.
“We help people understand the processes and prepare the necessary documents. We act as business representatives who bridge the gap between service providers and embassies, while operating legally,” he said.
Musa Body Katende identifies fraud as one of the major challenges facing the travel and migration advisory industry, saying some individuals exploit the aspirations of Ugandans seeking education, travel and better opportunities abroad.
He warns that fraudulent operators can undermine public confidence in legitimate advisory businesses by taking money from unsuspecting clients under false promises.
To address the challenge, Katende says his company requires clients to present genuine and authentic documentation before beginning application processes.
He adds that the company has adopted digital systems for its operations, including documentation and client agreements, policies and memoranda of understanding, to improve accountability and reduce opportunities for forgery, deception, theft and disputes between the company and its clients.
Musa Body Katende says transparency and proper documentation are essential in an industry where clients entrust service providers with their money, personal information and future plans.
He encourages Ugandans seeking opportunities abroad to exercise caution, verify the credibility of service providers and ensure they understand the terms of any agreement before making payments.
Although Musa Body Katende has departed from the machinery industry that established his family’s name in Katwe, he says the values of practical skills, enterprise and creating opportunities for others continue to influence his work.
His career represents a move from manufacturing equipment to providing information and advisory services intended to connect Ugandans with educational and travel opportunities beyond the country’s borders.
Katende says his ambition is to help more Ugandans make informed decisions about international education and travel while avoiding fraudulent schemes.
He says people interested in the company’s services can find more information through its website, www.musabodycareers.com, and its social media platforms, including TikTok under Musa Body Katende, Facebook under Sir Musa Body Katende, Instagram under Musa Body Katende and X under Sir Musa Body.
