Viewpoints with Brenda

Robert Kabushenga is one of the most prolific C-Suite executives from East Africa. Until his recent retirement from the corporate world, Robert was the chief executive at the Vision Group in Uganda, which, under his stewardship, progressed from a print media house into the media conglomerate that it is today. At present, Robert, a self-described obsessive farmer, is the owner  and administrator of Rugyeyo Farm, a coffee and banana farm located in Central Uganda. 

Robert speaks about transitioning from the corporate treadmill into full-time agribusiness, and why he chose agriculture to transition to. Robert  also chats about his passion for coffee, the entrepreneurial opportunities that coffee presents to young Ugandans, and why Ugandans should have a patriotic love for Ugandan coffee. Robert also gives some much needed advice on retirement planning. 

Raymond Mujuni is a journalist and the Head, Current Affairs at the Nation Media Group in Uganda. He has 10 years' experience covering Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Raymond chats about the stereotypical coverage of Africa in the media globally and what African media can do to tell a more balanced African story. Raymond also talks about the democratization of media sources on the continent and how digital technologies are generally transforming the way the news is being reported on the continent. 

 Stone Atwine is the Co-Founder of Eversend,  an African neobank and multi-currency wallets platform which provides currency exchange, merchant payments, and other digital financial services. 

Stone discusses how he got the founding idea for Eversend, the challenges  Eversend has faced in its quest to provide affordable and accessible digital financial services on the continent. Stone also discusses his experience with access to funding as a black founder of an African startup and how blockchain is impacting Eversend's business.

Pamela Birungi is a senior technology executive and the Senior Manager, Technology Strategy and Performance with the Zain Group,  a leading telecommunications group in the Middle East and Africa. Pamela has over 15 years of experience in managing and delivering assurance and transformative ICT solutions in telecommunications companies in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. At Zain, Pamela is responsible for developing the technology strategy and roadmap  and overseeing implementation of network performance systems and 5G service assurance systems across the Zain Group (comprising 7 countries in the Middle East and Africa).

Pamela speaks about the importance of 5G and the positive impact 5G will inevitably have on the African business landscape. She also discusses her career journey, what it means to be a black woman in STEM, how African girls can be encouraged to pursue careers in STEM, where she draws her creativity and the people who have had the biggest impact on her career. 

Miranda Kabatsi Muzoora is a lawyer, a skincare enthusiast and an influencer in her own right. Miranda is based in Uganda and practices with one of the premier law firms, Kampala Associated Advocates. At Kampala Associated Advocates, Miranda is an Associate in the Corporate & Finance Advisory department as well as the Energy department. Her Instagram page is @mimik_beauty, where she shares tips on skincare and beauty with thousands of followers.

Miranda speaks about balancing her regular 9-to-5 job with her content creation hobby, her passion for skincare,  what factors she takes into account as she curates and monetizes her content, and why it is important to acknowledge that humans are multifaceted and can have, and balance, several interests. Miranda also shares the biggest misconception about black skin. 

Ugandan industry experts Pamela Natamba (Partner and Head, Oil & Gas at PricewaterhouseCoopers Uganda) and Tony Otoa (Chief Executive at Stanbic Business Incubator Ltd) speak to Brenda about Uganda’s readiness for First Oil, in light of the recent signing of some of the agreements for the East African crude oil pipeline.


The discussion is quite expansive; ranging from how ready the Ugandan government players and Uganda's service sector are to how Ugandan businesses can position themselves to take advantage of the sector.  Tony and Pamela also discuss the commercial viability of the tariff to transport crude through the pipeline and fiscal responsibility for oil revenues.

Dr. Joanita Nattu is an M.D, board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist (with specific interest in cognitive behavioral therapy) currently based in Norway. 

Joanita speaks about incorporating wellness and self-care into our everyday routines in order to improve our mental health. She gives insights on how to seek out psychiatric care if needed, and suggestions for affordable interventions for psychiatric care from the government, employers generally, educational institutions and physicians in the private sector. 

Joanita also gives recommendations as to how child and adolescent psychiatric training and  care in African countries  can be improved. 

Geofrey Mutabazi is the Founder and CEO of ChargeKo Technologies, an electronic charging solutions company based in Uganda, and a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum. Geofrey shares insights on the clean mobility industry in Africa and how Africa, being richly endowed with the minerals that drive the clean mobility space, can leverage its position to lead the global clean mobility race.  

Geoffrey also speaks about why a decentralized grid is the best way forward to improve access to energy in Africa. 

Mark Tinka is the Head of Engineering at SEACOM, Africa's pioneer ICT data infrastructure company. Mark speaks to Brenda about his illustrious journey shaping internet infrastructure across Africa and his love for afro-house music. We also chat about the future of work, internet governance & policy in Africa and harnessing the internet as a driver of economic development in Africa.