By Our Reporter
President Yoweri Museveni has finally shed light on one of the most curious questions Ugandans have long asked: why his younger brother, Michael Nuwagira, is popularly known as “Toyota.”
Speaking while meeting a delegation from Japan led by Mr. Isao Iijima, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr. Takeju Ogata, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, President Museveni took a lighthearted detour from the official agenda to narrate the origin of his brother’s nickname.
Museveni revealed that Toyota Nuwagira, born in 1975, got the name after the famous Japanese car brand because of two reasons: timing and appearance.
At the time of his birth, Toyota vehicles had just been newly introduced in Uganda and were beginning to dominate the roads. “Because the Toyota cars were long that time and Toyota was tall, he was named after it,” Museveni explained with a smile.
The anecdote amused the Japanese guests, who had come to Uganda to review projects funded by the Nippon Foundation, including the rehabilitation center in Mubende that supports soldiers who lost their limbs during various wars.
Museveni expressed deep gratitude for Japan’s assistance to Uganda, but the lighter moment about his brother’s nickname left the delegation both surprised and entertained.
Over the years, Michael Nuwagira Toyota has become a well-known figure in Ugandan politics, particularly for his role in mobilization under his elder brother’s government.
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