The CEO East Africa Magazine Podcast.

CEO East Africa Magazine
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Business, Leadership and Impact.

  1. 2d ago

    Uganda’s Tourism Can Deliver More—Government Must Walk the Talk | UHOA's Jean Byamugisha

    Uganda’s tourism can deliver more—but will government match ambition with action?From fairer taxes and smarter investment to practical skills and stronger partnerships—UHOA's Jean Byamugisha on unlocking tourism’s potential to create jobs and grow Uganda’s economy.In this conversation with Muhereza Kyamutetera, the CEO of the Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA), makes the case for giving tourism & hospitality the attention and support that Uganda’s growth ambitions demand.Ms. Byamugisha discusses the burden of what she describes as over 25 different taxes and licences, expensive borrowing, fragmented investment approvals and the need for a one-stop centre for hotel investors. She also challenges the gap between official tourism statistics and the experience of hotel operators, explaining why reliable, shared data matters for policy and investment.Beyond policy, we explore the people who power hospitality: young workers, women seeking fair pay and leadership opportunities, and graduates whose qualifications do not always match employers’ needs. Jean shares her views on apprenticeships, practical training, service attitudes and why investors must put as much thought into people and professional expertise as they do into buildings.We also discuss hotel grading, international hotel brands, digital marketing, AI and the value of human interaction, preparations for AFCON, recovery from COVID-19, the impact of health crises on bookings, and how domestic tourists helped sustain the industry.

  2. 2d ago

    Protect Everything You’ve Worked For—Insurance Under One Roof at dfcu Bank | Arthur Kintu

    You’ve worked hard to build your life, provide for your family and grow your business. How do you protect that progress—and make getting insurance easier?In this episode, Muhereza Kyamutetera speaks with Arthur Kintu, Head of Bancassurance at dfcu Bank, about accessing insurance and claims support under one roof—even if you don’t have a dfcu bank account.From medical cover for individuals, children and elderly parents to protecting your home, business assets and professional practice, Arthur explains how dfcu helps customers compare options from its insurance partners and choose cover that suits their needs and budgets.The conversation also tackles what matters when things go wrong: who helps you make a claim, what documents you need, and why understanding exclusions, waiting periods and policy terms starts before you sign.Watch to discover how insurance through your bank can help you protect everything you’ve worked for.

  3. 2d ago

    From Intern to Managing Director: James Onyutta’s 22-Year Journey Fighting Poverty at FINCA Uganda

    What does it take to rise from an intern to Managing Director—and stay driven by the mission to fight poverty? In this episode of CEO East Africa Magazine, host Muhereza Kyamutetera speaks with James Onyutta, Managing Director and CEO of FINCA Uganda, about his career journey and the role of inclusive finance in helping entrepreneurs grow.James shares practical advice for business owners on keeping financial records, building a transaction history, and communicating with lenders when times get tough. He also discusses FINCA’s approach to empathy, women’s and youth financing, digital services, agriculture, and the future of microfinance in Uganda.

  4. 2d ago

    How to Lead When Everything Is Changing | Kansai Plascon Uganda’s Santosh Gumte

    How do you lead when ownership, brands, technology and customer expectations are changing—and your people are looking to you for certainty?Santosh Gumte, Managing Director of Kansai Plascon Uganda Limited, joins CEO East Africa Magazine’s Muhereza Kyamutetera for a conversation about leadership through change, protecting trust and building teams that can deliver under pressure.From his beginnings in accountancy and computer science to commercial leadership and the managing director’s office, Gumte shares the experiences and values that have shaped his approach: honesty, integrity, discipline and responsibility.He reflects on the acquisition and transition to Plascon, explaining how the company worked to retain employees, reassure dealers and customers, and rebuild market confidence. His experience offers practical lessons for leaders navigating mergers, acquisitions, rebranding and organisational uncertainty.At the centre of the conversation is a question that reaches beyond the paint industry: how do you help people embrace change while preserving the relationships and values that hold a business together?In this episode, we explore:📎 Why trust and clear communication matter during a business transition.📎 How to tell stakeholders difficult truths while offering a way forward.📎 Why Gumte prioritises character when building teams.📎 How to encourage employees to report mistakes early and help solve them.📎 Giving people freedom to act while maintaining accountability.📎 Taking responsibility when things go wrong and sharing credit when teams succeed.📎 The importance of finance, technology and AI knowledge for today’s leaders.📎 Staying focused on customers, innovation and execution as expectations rise.📎 Protecting family time and personal composure under leadership pressure.📎 Developing future leaders and building a legacy through mentorship.📎 Why young professionals should prioritise knowledge and experience over titles and status.Gumte also discusses Uganda’s paint and coatings market, changing customer preferences and the company’s ambitions for greater regional production capacity.Whether you are a CEO, founder, manager or an aspiring leader, this conversation offers lessons on earning confidence, supporting people and sustaining performance through change.

  5. 2d ago

    Uganda Can’t Deliver Its 10X Economic Ambition Without a Trustworthy, Efficient Legal System

    In this episode, journalist Muhereza Abel Kyamutetera speaks with John Musiime, Head of Dispute Resolution and Litigation at Dentons Advocates, about the role of law and dispute resolution in Uganda’s economic future.Musiime reflects on his journey into law and the founding of Dentons Advocates, then discusses how businesses can prevent disputes, why commercial cases need faster resolution, and what could improve legal education, the Bar, and the Judiciary. He also shares advice for young lawyers and considers how AI may reshape the legal profession.A conversation about building a legal ecosystem grounded in integrity, competence, efficiency, and service—and better equipped to support Uganda’s ambitions.

  6. 4d ago

    Uganda Has It All—So Why Isn’t the World Coming? | Amos Wekesa on Tourism & the Rwenzori Marathon

    Uganda, according to Amos Wekesa, the Founder & CEO of Great Lakes Collection and Team Leader, Rwenzori Marathon, has almost everything a traveller could want from a destination: wildlife, extraordinary nature, lakes and rivers, mountains, great food, welcoming people, and beautiful weather. So why isn’t more of the world discovering it—and why aren’t more investors backing its tourism potential?In this conversation, Muhereza Abel Kyamutetera speaks with Amos Wekesa, an accomplished tourism and hospitality entrepreneur with lodges and tourism-related real estate across the region. Wekesa has also played a central role in building the now-famous Rwenzori Marathon from the ground up, growing it into an international event with a significant impact on Kasese and its communities.Together, they explore why Uganda’s tourism potential needs more than natural attractions. It needs sustained destination marketing, clearer communication to tourists and investors, stronger air connectivity, and coordinated, credible messaging—especially during crises, when alarming or inconsistent communication can damage confidence and stall travel.They also discuss how the Rwenzori Marathon has grown despite major challenges, the livelihoods it supports, Uganda’s competition with regional destinations, and what leaders and tourism institutions could do to turn the country’s advantages into lasting growth.

  7. 4d ago

    Leading Construction & Arbitration Lawyer David Kaggwa on His Formula for a Successful Law Firm

    What does it take to build a successful law firm—and a reputation that opens doors beyond your home market?For David Kaggwa, Senior Partner at Kaggwa & Kaggwa Advocates and one of the region’s leading construction and arbitration lawyers, the formula combines specialisation, hard work, focus, integrity and strong governance.In this CEO East Africa Magazine interview, David joins Muhereza Abel Kyamutetera to share his journey from working as his brother’s messenger and personal assistant to becoming a partner in a specialist legal practice. He explains why choosing what to stop doing became a defining business decision—and how professional success can grow into lasting impact and legacy.Filmed at his Wild Geese Lodge on the shores of Lake Victoria, this conversation explores:📌 Building a successful law firm through specialisation and exceptional service.📌 Working with family while maintaining competence, accountability and professional standards.📌 Construction law, arbitration and the growing value of preventing disputes.📌 Opportunities for African professionals in infrastructure, mining and cross-border dispute resolution.📌 Artificial intelligence, the future of legal practice and the importance of human judgement.📌 Why poor planning, bureaucracy and delayed payments drive up infrastructure costs.📌 Investing in tourism, supporting conservation and creating community employment.Whether you’re a lawyer, law student, entrepreneur or business leader, David’s experiences offer practical lessons on building expertise, earning trust and creating a business that lasts.His challenge: Stop doing everything. Master what matters.Which lesson will you apply to your career or business? Share your thoughts in the comments.

  8. Sep 29

    The Big Money Mistakes Ugandans Make—and Alpha Asset Managers’ Playbook for Building Real Wealth

    Discover how Annet Nakawunde, one of the pioneering women to lead a financial institution in Uganda’s historically male-dominated banking sector, transformed Finance Trust Bank during a remarkable 15-year tenure.Under her leadership, customer deposits grew nearly tenfold, from UGX 46.1 billion in 2011 to UGX 451.7 billion in 2025. Over the same period, total assets increased more than sevenfold, from UGX 92.2 billion to UGX 668 billion, while loans and advances expanded almost ninefold to UGX 397 billion.Finance Trust also recovered strongly from a difficult post-COVID period, growing profit after tax from UGX 3.7 billion in 2023 to UGX 10.4 billion in 2024 and a record UGX 18.1 billion in 2025. Today, the institution serves more than 400,000 savers and over 40,000 borrowers through 34 branches and a growing network of over 800 agents. In this candid conversation with CEO East Africa Magazine Executive Editor Muhereza Kyamutetera, Nakawunde discusses her journey from a grassroots loan officer training women in markets and villages to becoming one of Uganda’s longest-serving banking chief executives.Appointed chief executive in 2011 while still under 40, Nakawunde entered the upper ranks of banking leadership at a time when relatively few women occupied such positions. Her success helped demonstrate that women could lead and transform major regulated financial institutions while creating opportunities for a new generation of female executives.She explains how customer-centred banking, credit discipline, technology, regulatory compliance, board support and an empowered workforce helped drive Finance Trust’s transformation. She also reflects on leading the institution through three distinct identities—from a microfinance deposit-taking institution to a Tier I commercial bank and, most recently, a Tier II credit institution following a failed capital transaction with Access Bank.Despite its growth and diversification, Finance Trust has maintained its founding purpose of putting women first. Women account for approximately 51.5% of its active depositors, although they represent only about 36% of borrowers—a gap Nakawunde says requires more affordable funding, unsecured lending and risk-sharing mechanisms.The conversation goes beyond banking numbers. Nakawunde shares practical lessons on authentic leadership, making difficult decisions, managing boards, developing young professionals, communicating during crises, embracing AI and technology, and building financial products that leave customers “wealthier than how we found them.”Watch this episode for an illuminating account of performance with purpose, women’s financial inclusion and transformational African leadership.Subscribe to CEO East Africa Magazine, share the conversation and follow us across our digital platforms for more stories about the people shaping business, leadership and impact across Africa. #AnnetNakawunde #FinanceTrustBank #CEOEastAfrica #WomenInBanking #WomenInLeadership #BankingLeadership #FinancialInclusion #UgandaBanking #AfricanLeadership #BusinessLeadership

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