When Idi Amin Dada, expelled Ugandan Asians in 1972, Amirali Karmali remained in Uganda. In 1986, he founded Mukwano Industries Limited, the flagship company of the Mukwano business empire. As of 2001, the conglomerate operated 46 different businesses, including expansion of the confectionery business to produce chewing gum, lollipop and chocolate. The pretax annual revenue that year was estimated at US$300 million.