Reports indicate that St. Lawrence Citizens High School Creamland Campus has allegedly closed its doors due to financial challenges. The campus was part of the St. Lawrence group of schools, founded in 1993 by the late Prof. Lawrence Mukiibi, a respected educationist who grew the brand to include six campuses and later St. Lawrence University.
Prof. Mukiibi was known for his dedication to education and business expansion, but his sudden death in 2017, after reportedly slipping in a bathroom, seems to have marked the beginning of a decline in the management and sustainability of the empire he built.
Despite earlier assurances from top government officials that the schools would be maintained, the recent closure of Creamland Campus has raised new questions. Many now see this as yet another case in a growing trend where business empires in Uganda struggle to survive after the founder’s death.
Other similar examples include the collapse or instability of once-powerful businesses such as Zimwe Construction Company, Aponye Uganda Ltd, BMK Group, and Quality Chemicals. In many of these cases, poor succession planning, internal family wrangles, and heavy reliance on political connections have been blamed for the downfall.
Sources familiar with the St. Lawrence situation claim that attempts by family members to take over the property after Mukiibi’s passing were frustrated. Some reportedly gave up after facing strong opposition and unclear ownership structures.
Observers note that the tendency of many Ugandan tycoons to operate as brokers to the powerful, rather than building independent governance systems, often leaves their businesses vulnerable after they’re gone.
The closure of Creamland Campus may be a reflection of deeper issues in how private business empires are structured in Uganda—and a reminder of the urgent need for serious succession planning in both the education and business sectors.
