SHIFA MWESIGYE: Here is how Mukula affords her home

If you haven’t yet read the near to fairytale stories of the lavish Capt. Mike Mukula residence then welcome back from “outside countries”. Because I believe that is the only way you could have missed all the media frenzy or the Lugambo that followed when pictures of the house were splashed in African Woman magazine.
I am tempted to repeat the whole “place looks like a king’s castle” talk but no, I will not.

Gladys Mukula invited me to her home for a guided tour to answer the question, how did they afford all that luxury.
The Mukulas have lived on Luthuli Avenue in Bugolobi for 16 years. That was before Mike Mukula became a minister and after he started his career as a pilot with Eagle Air on top of other businesses. So now you know where the money came from to afford his family a dream house that still turns heads today.

In fact, Mrs Mukula says she furnished their home 16 years ago and has never changed the furniture since then because it still looks as good as new. She bought most of her furniture from Italy and Dubai.
“The things we wanted then were not here for we had to do the shopping abroad but now many are on the market imported from China,” she says.
What is important though is, she says if she had to do it all over again she would storm the furniture shops in Uganda because everything is now available on the Ugandan market unlike 16 years ago.

Nina Interiors, Footsteps Furnishers, Fancy Furnishers are some of the upmarket furniture marts you can go to for prices between Shs1m and Shs8m if you want good quality long lasting furniture.
Otherwise even those roadside furniture marts will do if you are good at bargaining.
Gladys says she changes her drapes and curtains every five years and employs the services of Susan Kamya, owner of Needle Line, near Meat Packers on Old Port Bell Road.
Good drapes can be purchased at Nina Interiors on Jinja Road if you can dig deeper in your wallet.

When I asked for estimates for my bedroom window, the sales lady gave me a total sum of Shs 375,000 for fabric, nets, lining and labour for just one window. If you are not impressed, then head down to Kiyembe lane, the quality and print may not be equally as good but it will still make your home beautiful at pocket friendly prices. Or better still, Owino Market has a section where you can pick second hand drapes. The problem is you might not get the ones that will match the whole house.

While Mrs Mukula says she imported her bathroom ware from Italy, she says when she needs a replacement she goes to UMA show grounds in Lugogo where they give her value for her money.
The last time she remodelled her bathroom, it cost Shs8m.

Be mindful that it is an electric shower fitted with a music system and the works.
Gladys says she picks her wall hangings from Mrs Olive Kigongo’s store in Nakasero for a price of Shs 500,000 each, while some of her kitchenware comes from Mrs Thereza Mbire’s at Garden City.
At home she likes to spend most of her time in her spotless white kitchen cooking for her husband. “I prepare breakfast and dinner for captain everyday except when I have travelled,” Gladys says.