{{short description|Ugandan biochemist and veterinarian}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Francis Kitaka | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = 1 January 1935 | birth_place = Uganda | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|09|12|1935|01|01|df=y}} | death_place = | alma_mater = '''Aberdeen University'''<br/>{{small|(Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry)}}<br/>'''Makerere University'''<br/>{{small|(Diploma in Veterinary Medicine}} | occupation = Biochemist & Veterinarian & Entrepreneur | years_active = 1961 — 2020 | citizenship = Uganda | known_for = Entrepreneurship & Industrial Innovation | networth = | title = '''Former Chairman'''<br/>Quality Chemical Industries Limited | spouse = }}
'''Francis Xavier Kitaka''' (1 January 1935 – 12 September 2020) was a Ugandan biochemist, veterinarian, entrepreneur and industrialist. He is the former chairman of Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Limited (CIPLAQCIL), located in Luzira, a suburb of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. CIPLAQCIL is the only company in Sub-Saharan Africa, that is authorized to manufacture triple therapy antiretroviral drugs.<ref name="1R">{{cite web |url=https://www.ceo.co.ug/francis-x-kitaka-the-unsung-hero-of-ugandas-health-and-agricultural-sectors/ |title=Francis X. Kitaka: The Unsung Hero of Uganda's Health And Agricultural Sectors |publisher=CEO Magazine Uganda |date=4 January 2014 |access-date=13 September 2020| author=Taddewo Senyonyi |location=Kampala}}</ref>
==Background and education== He was born in 1935, in a family of six siblings, to '''Celestino Mayambala Musoke''' and '''Monica Musoke'''. Francis Kitaka attended ''Rubaga Primary School'', starting in 1944. 1948 Kitaka was admitted to ''Bukalasa Minor Seminary'', but was expelled in 1950, for wearing bathroom sandals to Church. The following year, 1951, he was admitted to ''Rubaga Boys' Secondary School'', where he sat his middle school examinations in 1952. He entered St. Mary's College Kisubi in 1952 and left in 1954 after sitting his ''O Level'' examinations (Cambridge Ordinary School Certificate Examinations). In 1955, he was admitted to the Faculty of Science at Makerere University for the intermediate course for two years. This was equivalent to ''Advanced Level'' (A Level) studies. In 1957 Kitaka entered the Department of Veterinary Medicine, to study for the Diploma in Veterinary Medicine, which he obtained in 1958. In 1961 he received a scholarship from the Government of Uganda to study Biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. After graduation, Kitaka became the first African biochemist in East Africa.<ref name="2R">{{cite web|url=https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1216319/kitaka-brain-africa-eur-arvs-factory |title=Kitaka, The Brain Behind Africa's First ARVs Factory |newspaper=New Vision |date=31 October 2007 |author=Elvis Basudde and Robert Kasozi |access-date=13 September 2020 |place=Kampala}}</ref>
==Work history== In 1961, prior to his departure for Scotland for further studies, he worked at the ''Animal Health Research Centre'' in Entebbe. While in Scotland, he worked at Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen for eight years, before returning to Uganda in 1968. Upon his return, he worked at the ''Tick Control Department'' in the Ministry of Agriculture, as an Entomologist. In 1972, Francis Kitaka joined Wellcome Uganda Limited, as the Sales Manager.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/>
In 1989, Kitaka and two colleagues, Edward Martin and Randall Tierney, bought ''Wellcome East Africa Limited'' and renamed it ''Cooper Uganda Limited''. In 1994, they bought the building housing their offices and rebranded to ''MTK Holdings Limited'', representing the first letter of each of their last names.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/>
In 1997, with three more investors; George Baguma, Frederick Kitaka and Emmanuel Katongole, the group of six investors created Quality Chemicals Limited (QCL), a company whose initial objective was to import generic drugs, both veterinary and human into the country. In 2003, the shareholders in QCL learned through the Indian High Commissioner to Uganda, that Cipla, the Indian pharmaceutical company was looking for a serious pharmaceutical company to partner with in Uganda. They flew to India and signed partnership and marketing agreements. That was the beginning of the importation of Cipla-manufactured pharmaceuticals into Uganda.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/>
They convinced Cipla to build a factory to manufacture ARVs in Uganda. QCL bought a piece of land in 2004 and on 3 September 2005, President Yoweri Museveni performed the ground breaking ceremony. The factory was commissioned in 2007. The pharmaceutical plant is owned by a new entity called Quality Chemical Industries Limited, in which Cipla and Quality Chemicals Limited own equal shares. The plant is operated by QCL. Francis Xavier Kitaka has served as chairman of the board of directors of QCIL from 2007 until November 2013.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/>
In 2013, Cipla acquired majority shareholding in QCIL, and changed the name of the company to CIPLAQCIL. At that time the Chairmanship changed to Emmanuel Katongole. Francis X Kitaka remained a shareholder in the business.<ref name="3R">{{cite web |date=30 November 2013 |publisher=Ciplaqcil.co.ug |url=http://www.ciplaqcil.co.ug/about-us/board-of-directors/ |title=Board of Directors of CIPLAQCIL |author=CIPLACQIL |access-date=28 March 2015 |location=Kampala |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402132145/http://www.ciplaqcil.co.ug/about-us/board-of-directors/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Illness and death== Francis X Kitaka died on 12 September 2020. At the time of is death, MTK Holdings Limited, which he co-owned, was a shareholder or outright owner of several businesses including: 1. Quality Chemicals Limited 2. Mosquito Net Village Limited, a manufacturer of mosquito nets 3. Tinosoft Limited, an ICT business that also invests in commercial real estate.<ref name="4R">{{cite web|url=https://www.pmldaily.com/news/2020/09/breaking-mtk-holdings-boss-dead.html |title=MTK Holdings boss dead |date=12 September 2020 |publisher=PML Daily |access-date=13 September 2020 |author=Godfrey Lugaaju |location=Kampala}}</ref>
==See also== {{columns-list|colwidth=22em| *CIPLAQCIL *Cipla *Frederick Kitaka *George Baguma *Emmanuel Katongole *Luzira *HIV/AIDS Management }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.qcil.co.ug/ Website of QCIL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622173303/http://www.qcil.co.ug/ |date=22 June 2023 }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitaka, Francis}} Category:1935 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Ganda people Category:Ugandan veterinarians Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Category:People from Kampala District Category:Makerere University alumni Category:Ugandan biochemists Category:Ugandan Roman Catholics Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda