Rajiv Ruparelia, the son of renowned Ugandan tycoon Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, has died in a devastating car accident that occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning on the Kampala Southern Bypass.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, the incident happened at 1:54 a.m. when a white Nissan GTR (registration number UAT 638L) overturned and caught fire near the Busabala flyover in Makindye-Ssabagabo, Wakiso District. Rajiv, who was behind the wheel, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Footage and eyewitness accounts from the scene revealed the vehicle in flames, reduced to wreckage by the time emergency services arrived.
Michael Kananura, spokesperson for the Traffic Police, stated that preliminary findings suggest the vehicle lost control after hitting temporary road barriers near a roundabout on the flyover. The resulting crash caused the car to overturn and ignite, leading to Rajiv’s instant death.
The tragic loss has shocked the nation, especially as Rajiv had shared a touching photo of his child on social media just hours before the crash an image that has since gone viral, stirring an emotional response from the public.
This fatality adds to the growing concern over road safety in Uganda. Police statistics show an alarming rise in road-related deaths: 4,534 in 2022, 4,806 in 2023, and 5,144 in 2024—averaging 14 deaths per day. While motorcyclists and pedestrians are most affected, high-speed accidents on major highways like the Entebbe Expressway continue to claim lives.
A Legacy Remembered
Born on January 2, 1990, Rajiv Ruparelia studied Financial Management at Regent’s University London before returning to Uganda in 2014 to join the Ruparelia Group. By 2017, he had become the Group’s Managing Director, overseeing major developments such as Speke Apartments, Kingdom Kampala, and Kampala Boulevard.
Rajiv was more than a businessman. He had a passion for motorsports and was an active rally driver, founding the Rajiv Ruparelia Rally Team and helping revive Uganda’s motorsport scene. His philanthropic work through the Ruparelia Foundation impacted many in the fields of education, healthcare, and environmental conservation.
He leaves behind his wife Naiya and their children. The Ruparelia Group has not yet released an official statement, but condolences and tributes are flooding in, with many remembering Rajiv as an inspiring leader, a generous humanitarian, and a youthful force of change.