Namirembe Road
by Salim Rahemtulla

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Salim Rahemtulla grew up in Kampala, as one of nine children in a close-knit family of modest means. In 1971, he received a partial bursary to study Computer Science at the University of Manchester, UK, which was meant to be a step toward a brighter future. Little did he foresee the tumultuous political landscape that would soon unravel and dramatically alter the course of his life. The dictator Idi Amin had come to power in Uganda earlier that year, and one of his first acts as president was to order the expulsion of some 80,000 Asians—most of whom, like Rahemtulla’s family, were of Indian descent. In this beautifully written memoir Salim Rahemtulla weaves together the threads of his past, painting a vivid picture of his formative years spent on Namirembe Road in Kampala. He writes about his years as a student and a security guard in the UK; his reunion with his parents and siblings in Canada; his life as a husband, father, computer scientist, and hotel owner; and his travels to India and Uganda to rediscover his roots. With empathy, honesty, and insight, Rahemtulla invites readers to accompany him as he dives into the past, unraveling significant world events, including the Expulsion, Independence, Western cultural influence in East Africa and 1970s immigration to the UK. Through all of these delightful stories and characters, Salim highlights the profound significance of family and community ties that binds us together across time and distance.

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Salim Rahemtulla grew up on Namirembe Road in a flat shared amongst a large family above his father’s shop. After finishing high school, he worked as a math teacher, which helped him save- up to go to university. After graduating, Rahemtulla joined his parents and some of his siblings in Vancouver, B.C., where he married and raised his four children. For many years, he worked in the computer field, establishing a successful career before retiring in 2018. Since his retirement, Salim has written a play called 90 Days about the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, which was staged in Vancouver in 2022 to sold-out audiences. He also made an acting debut in his daughter Zahida’s widely acclaimed play The Wrong Bashir in Vancouver and will repeat his role in Toronto in 2024. Salim Rahemtulla lives with his wife, Nasreen, in Burnaby, B.C., enjoying the company of his large family and many friends. He spends much of his time writing and playing tennis, squash, pickleball, and soccer – the sport that he grew up playing on Namirembe Road.

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Salim Rahemtulla

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