Rajiv Ruparelia, the son of prominent Ugandan businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, has died in a fatal car crash.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning at the Busabala flyover, where Rajiv’s white Nissan GTR (registration UAT 638L) reportedly lost control, overturned, and burst into flames. Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed that the 35-year-old died on the spot and was alone in the car at the time of the incident. Investigations into what caused the crash are still underway.
Social media footage shows the vehicle completely engulfed in flames, with bystanders unable to assist due to the intensity of the fire. The high-performance car, which is extremely rare in Uganda, is known for its top speeds of up to 380 km/h.
Rajiv served as the managing director of the Ruparelia Group and was a well-known motorsport enthusiast. He was the lead driver for the Ruparelia Rally Team and actively took part in rally events.
According to family friend and journalist Andrew Mwenda, Rajiv had just returned from London to attend a friend’s wedding. He was reportedly en route from his home in Kololo to Munyonyo to join the wedding convoy when the crash happened.
The family is currently awaiting the arrival of relatives from London and India before finalizing funeral arrangements. They are still deciding whether to cremate his remains in accordance with Hindu customs or opt for a traditional Ugandan burial.
