At university I studied for a BSc in land economics. However, when it came time to choose a profession, joining a Big four firm as a graduate trainee offered compelling opportunities for career development – it was everyone’s ultimate dream – so I chose that path and was recruited by KPMG East Africa as an audit associate. There, I discovered that auditing is both interesting and challenging, and an area in which I could succeed.
My next step saw me become finance manager at Equatorial Power, a start-up providing off-grid solar solutions to remote places in Uganda and wider Africa. Now I oversee operations and reporting as the senior accountant at UAP Old Mutual Uganda Insurance.
In my view, there is more room to create and innovate in the corporate workplace than in an accounting practice
I chose to move into the corporate world because I wanted to offer solutions and improve companies before problems arise, by using the knowledge I gathered as an auditor. In my view, there is more room to create and innovate in the corporate space than there is in an accounting practice, where guidelines and frameworks must be followed.
What I enjoy about my role as a manager is that I can make suggestions and decisions that grow my team and department. I often step out of my comfort zone, as I frequently work outside official hours, late into the night and on weekends to meet deadlines.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the current economic situation is affecting the economy here. For months fuel prices have been rising. Our customers have less money to spend, which has led some to back out of policy renewals. This has had a direct effect on our business in terms of premiums collected.
New business is certainly slower than was forecasted, too. In an underdeveloped but free economy like Uganda’s, when price increments and high inflation occur, the biggest worry is recovering from these. A trend we have noted in the past is that players in the market tend to keep prices up even when the reasons for the increases are no longer present.
I strongly believe that the success of any company is dependent on its people
If I had law-making powers, I would propose a new farming and agriculture law. This would provide for the compulsory inclusion of farming on the school syllabus, and would focus on enabling and protecting farmers. I believe farming is the only way out of poverty in Uganda.
I think my biggest achievement was completing my ACCA exams in just over a year and a half with no prior accounting background and mostly through self-study. I qualified fifth in Uganda and 81st globally, which makes me proud.
I strongly believe that the success of any company is dependent on its people. If I weren’t in finance, I’d work in human capital management (HCM), with its focus on motivation, mentoring, employee development, reward and mental wellbeing. To make culture shifts in an organisation by starting with its people is something I would enjoy.
Outside work, I am a farmer, and a lover of plants and nature. I promote farming and agri-entrepreneurship through a foundation called Tulimee, a Luganda word that means ‘let’s farm’. Our aim is to ensure that everyone in Uganda who decides to farm is fully enabled, with access to the right information, resources, market access and technology.
We are trying to push the farming dream to more young people in Uganda and believe it is the only way out of poverty. We are blessed with perfect weather and soil for farming. However, success in farming can be limited by maintaining traditional and rudimentary ways of working, mostly due to lack of knowledge.
I am also a climate action and environmental activist. I take every chance I get to talk about climate change.
