Facts you never knew about Zari Hassan

Piece by: DORIS NJOKI

28 August 2022

• Zari has a mixed race of Indian, Uganda, Somali, and Burundi descent.

• Reports show that the primary source of her wealth is her ample share of her late husband’s will.

Zarinah Hassan who is popularly known as Zari the Boss Lady or Zari Hassan was born on the 23rd of September in 1980 in Jinja, Uganda.

Zari is currently 41 years old and she will be turning 42 of age next month. She is a gifted Ugandan reality TV personality and also an entrepreneur, an influencer, a philanthropist, and a musician.

She currently lives in South Africa, where she owns several businesses and land assets.

Family

Her parents are Mr. Nasur Hassan and Mrs. Halima Hassan but sadly, she lost her mother to heart failure in July 2017. Mrs. Halima passed on at Nakasero Hospital in Uganda while receiving treatment.

She was raised alongside her four other siblings, namely Zuleha Hassan, Asha Hassan, Zara Hassan, and Abdul Karim Hassan.

Zari happens to be of a mixed race where her maternal grandfather is of Indian descent and her grandmother is from Uganda.

On the other hand, her paternal grandmother hails from Somalia and her grandmother is from Burundi.

Education

Zari Hassan completed her secondary school education at Jinja Girls High School. While in school, she was a member of the music, drama, and dance groups.

Her talent earned her the award for being the best actress for two years in a row.After High School, she moved to Kampala, where she made a lot of money by performing Karaoke in different hangouts.

She then took a break from acting and moved to the UK to pursue her tertiary education, where she earned a diploma in cosmetology.

Zari Hassan didn’t spend much time in London as she later came back to Uganda to build her business empire while pursuing her musical career.

Growing up, Zari Hassan discovered music as a talent at a very early age. She started singing during her primary school and, at a point, even performed in her school’s end-year function.

She also performed in competitions and musical talents, most of which were organized by the staff in her school.

In 2007, Zari Hassan recorded her first single, “Oliwange” which in English means You’re Mine.

The single was nominated for the Africa Channel O Awards in the category of Best East African video of the year in South Africa, Johannesburg.

In 2009, Zari Hassan won the Diva Awards, Award of the year in the Diaspora category.

Marriage and children

Zari Hassan was married to the late Ugandan-born South African socialite, Ivan Semwanga. The couple had three boys together before divorcing in 2013.

Semwanga died in May 2017 after suffering a heart attack.After the divorce, Zari Hassan entered another relationship with Farouk Sempala, a Ugandan basketballer.

The relationship didn’t last, as Farouk Sempala accused Zari Hassan of aborting his children.Zari Hassan also has three boys from her first marriage with the late Ivan Ssemwanga.

The children are called Pinto Semwanga, Dido Semwanga, and George Semwanga. She also takes care of Ivan Ssemwanga’s three other kids, whom he had with his previous wife.

In the long run, she dated music star, Diamond Platnumz. Their relationship gave birth to Latifah Dangote, and Prince Nillan.

She has also dated a guy known as GK Choppa who was almost half her age they had a fling and is currently in a relationship with a guy known as Shakib Cham who is Ugandan by Nationality.

However, Zari claims that Shakib is actually older than what is peddled on the social media streets. In a latest interview with a local media house, the mother-of-five trashed all the allegations that she’s molesting Shakib.

She says he is a grown able-bodied chap, who is equipped with all the Zzina skills.

Networth

Zari Hassan has an estimated net worth of US$8.8 million. According to reports, the primary source of her wealth is through her ample share of her late husband’s will.

The Boss Lady is an entrepreneur in South Africa, where she owns a tertiary college and cosmetics shop while pursuing her music career.