Viewpoints with Brenda

Our final episode of our second season features Nicholas Opiyo, the Founder and Executive Director and Lead Attorney at Chapter Four Uganda, a civil rights organization providing pro bono legal representation for marginalized and underserved communities in Uganda. Since 2005, Nicholas has been at the forefront of championing civil rights and political freedoms for underserved communities in Uganda. For his work, Nicholas has received several awards including the German Africa Prize in 2017, Voices for Justice Award from Human Rights Watch in 2015, the European Union Parliament Sakharov Fellows Prize in 2016, the Alison Des Forges award for extraordinary activism in 2015 and the Tulip Human Rights Prize by the Dutch Government in 2021.  Currently, Nicholas is a Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy. Previously, he was a Visting Scholar at The Centre for African Studies, Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and a Visiting Scholar at The Global Health Program, University of California San Francisco.  Nicholas is also an amateur photographer and an ardent soccer fan, supporting SC Villa in Uganda and Manchester United in the United Kingdom.Nicholas speaks about the most pressing human rights concerns in Uganda at present, how social media is shaping the discourse around human rights all over the world and renewing commitment to the rule of law in Uganda. Nicholas also speaks about how participants in civil society could reclaim public conversation in connection with the protection of civil liberties.  Nicholas also shares his love for SC Villa, a leading football club in Uganda. *Note: This episode was recorded prior to Chapter Four resuming its operations in June 2022, after a successful challenge before the High Court of Uganda. 

Dr. Nataliey Bitature is the Chief of Staff at the Simba Group, an East African group of companies spanning hospitality, energy, telecom, real estate and a foundation, where she oversees operations, impact and partnerships across these sectors within Uganda. She is also the founder of Musana Carts, a social enterprise building solar-powered street food vending carts and HER, an online mentorship platform with over 3000 young African women. Nataliey has been recognised as a business leader and innovator by Forbes 30 Under 30, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and World Economic Forum. She serves as a director on several boards including the boards of Uganda Property Holdings Ltd, the Makerere Innovation and Incubation Centre, Start-up Hub, Capital Solutions Social Innovation Fund, Save the Children Africa's advisory board and the Quinn Abenakyo Foundation.Nataliey speaks about her experience overcoming gender bias and her experience in leadership as a C-suite executive in a predominantly male arena. She also speaks about the role critical thinking has played in her leadership style and her proudest moments at the Simba Group. 

Michael Niyitegeka is the Program Director, Refactory at Clarke International University in Uganda and the ICDL Africa Country Manager for Uganda. He has over 20 years' experience in the ICT sector and has worked with several government, private, regional and international institutions. Michael is passionate and devoted to human capital development for the ICT sector in Uganda. Under Refactory, his flagship project, he has trained over 250 junior developers with an 80% placement rate in the ecosystem in the last three years. He is also a Franklin Covey Certified Facilitator and a proud Rotarian. In this episode, Michael speaks about what can be done to bridge the tech skills gap in Uganda and the continent at large, including suggestions on how to reform curricula and what more can be done on the continent to grow and retain tech talent. Michael also speaks about his passion for Rotary International. 

Muthoni Waigwa is a Kenyan creative entrepreneur with over 12 years' experience in the media and entertainment industry. She is a digital content producer and creator and the co- founder of a graphic design and audio-visual production company, Nifty Works Plus Limited, which has been in operation for over 8 years. Muthoni is also a podcast producer and the host of Moments with Nderru Podcast which was launched in March 2020. On this episode, Muthoni speaks about creating and producing African content, barriers to consumption of African content and possible policy and other infrastructure improvements that may address the daily challenges African players in the creative space face. 

Aga Sekalala Jr.  is a Ugandan entrepreneur, investor, business executive and innovator.  Aga is the founder, former CEO and executive chairman of Radio Simba, one of Uganda's most popular radio stations.  He is also the Executive Director of Ugachick, a major poultry operation in Uganda, a former Board Chair of KCB Bank and a former Board member of the Uganda Investment Authority and the Uganda Export Promotion Board. Aga is  currently the Vice Chairman of the Uganda Manufacturers Association and Chairman of the Poultry Producers of Uganda.Aga speaks about his experience in managing one of the most successful cross-generational businesses in Uganda -- from the role stewardship, mentorship and family principles have played in the business to the importance of financial readiness. Aga also speaks about balancing family dynamics in a family business and the advantages of vertical integration to his family's poultry business. Aga also speaks about why (for now) institutional investors are preferred to venture capital or private equity as a source of funding for his family's business. 

Nshuti Lucy Mbabazi is the Lead for Africa Advocacy & Partnerships at the United Nations Better than Cash Alliance, tasked with ensuring that digital payments reach and work for every African. Nshuti holds several advisory roles with a number of organizations such as  Girl Effect, Girls in ICT Rwanda, Leo Africa Institute, BBOXX Rwanda and RICTA Rwanda. Nshuti previously worked with Rwanda Development Board, Visa Inc. and Ecobank Group. On this episode, Nshuti breaks down the misconceptions around cashless economies and explains how cashless economies can facilitate financial inclusion. Nshuti also speaks about the policies that African stakeholders in government and the private sector can adopt to ensure innovation and inclusion in the digital payments sector. 

Benjamin Rukwengye is a thought leader in the education and professional development space in Uganda and the founder and CEO of Boundless Minds, a mentorship social enterprise focusing on soft-skilling as a pathway to accelerate school-to-work transition for students.  He is the founding chairman of 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation, a leading local philanthropy movement, a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur, a KAS Youth4Policy Fellow, a Young and Emerging Leaders Project Fellow and has been named by Uganda's New Vision as one of Uganda's Top 40 under 40. Benjamin speaks about the inspiration behind Boundless Minds and the important work that Boundless Minds is doing with young adults to prepare them for the workplace. He also speaks about the importance of starting mentorship early and why mentoring should be encouraged in the workplace. Benjamin also speaks about his experience as a Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur and the impact this has had on his organization and his career. 

Juliana Kagwa is the Director of Corporate Relations at Uganda Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo in Uganda. Juliana has had quite the career, having risen through the ranks at  Diageo, from a graduate trainee to her current role in management.  She has over 15 years' experience in marketing, strategy and innovation in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG)  sector. More recently, Juliana has taken on the Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs function at Uganda Breweries Limited.Juliana speaks about how a customer-centric approach has informed marketing strategies at Uganda Breweries Limited over the years,  the evolution of marketing throughout her career, the role that the digital age has played in enhancing marketing strategies and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.Juliana also speaks about her favourite campaigns and innovations; from the Smirnoff Nightlife Experience to Uganda Waragi Pineapple; and gives excellent career tips for people who would want to follow a similar career path. 

Listen to a sneak peek of Season 2 of Viewpoints with Brenda. New episodes with our incredible guests will be dropping from 8 April 2022 onwards.  Do not forget to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @viewpointsbybn for updates. Happy listening! 

Our final episode for our first season features Emuron Alemu, one of the most recognizable faces in advertising in Sub-Saharan Africa. Emuron is a multiple award-winning advertising creative who has created campaigns across a range of categories and disciplines. Presently, Emuron is the Chief Creative Officer at Betika.com and has won several Loeries, African Cristals Awards, MSK awards and Cannes Lions.Emuron speaks about his journey in advertising from his agency days at Ignition in Uganda to working in-house at Betika.com, his favourite campaigns from his agency days, his favorite campaign at Betika.com and his most exciting awards. Emuron also shares the story behind what many consider to be the most impactful African campaign of the past decade, " The Most Eligible Bachelor", a multiple award-winning awareness campaign that was created for the Ole Pejeta Conservancy to save the white rhino from extinction. Emuron also shares advice for young creatives who are looking to advertising as a career. 

Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr. is the Founder and Principal of Botho Emerging Markets Group, an investment and strategy advisory firm with offices in Nairobi, Dubai, and Chicago and the co-founder of the Amahoro Coalition, an initiative convening private sector firms in Africa to accelerate the economic inclusion of refugees. With two decades of experience working in 20 markets across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, Isaac has an extensive and successful track record in investment facilitation, strategy consulting, and policy advisory across sectors including Finance, Technology, Healthcare, Education and more. Isaac is also an angel investor to start-ups based in Africa and the Middle East. Isaac is  a 2014 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow, a Trustee of Hanover College, advisor to the China Africa Tech Initiative, and serves on several boards. Isaac speaks about the investment landscape on the continent including the top opportunities for investment, post-pandemic prospects and the biggest perceived risks facing investors looking to Africa as an emerging market. Isaac also speaks about the Amahoro Coalition, an African-led initiative convening the African private sector to expand access to education and livelihood opportunities for refugees and other displaced persons.Check out the Afro-Catalyst Podcast presented by Isaac and the Botho Emerging Markets Group to hear from more African trailblazers. 

Flora Katusiime is a New York based global communications and diversity and inclusion strategist.  She has a global and diverse background working with several organizations in the private sector and with non-profits to create equitable and inclusive spaces. Flora has had considerable success in shaping policies and initiatives that drive engagement and advance organizational transformation to ensure that those with varied cultural backgrounds are more easily noticed, recognized, appreciated, and promoted.Flora speaks about barriers to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, strategies for increasing diversity in leadership roles, particularly for women and how her experience generally with being black in the USA has impacted her outlook, her career and her advocacy work.

David F.K. Mpanga is the Deputy Chairman at Bowmans, a top tier Africa-wide law firm, and  co-founder of top tier law firm, A.F. Mpanga Advocates (now Bowmans Uganda). He is a barrister of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple and an advocate of the courts of Uganda with almost three decades of experience. David is also the Minister for Special Duties in the Buganda Government, an institution headed by the Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda. David is also the author of The Politics of Common Sense.In this episode, David speaks about his book The Politics of Common Sense, including how he decided on the title, beliefs and perspectives which he had that were challenged as he wrote his book, the origins of negative tribalism on the continent, the importance of strong institutions in governance and why young Africans cannot afford to be apathetic when it comes to politics.David also speaks about his love for music, how he started deejaying as a hobby and his Mixcloud channel. The Politics of Common Sense is available at Aristoc and Bookpoint (in Kampala, Uganda), and is available for purchase online at Apple and Barnes & Noble. 

Paul Lwiindi is a Zambian industry expert in the extractives sector with a career spanning over 20 years. He has held senior roles in Glencore's Africa operations, national roles in the UK's Network Rail Infrastructure Limited and a pan-European role at Coca Cola Great Britain & Northern Ireland, among others. Paul's particular focus in the roles he has had is on operations and transformation and change.Paul speaks about why a multi-sectoral approach by the government and private sector natural resource companies is critical to enhancing the extractives industry on the continent. Paul also gives insights on what African governments and other stakeholders can do to enhance transparency in governance of the sector, improve environmental performance of the extractives industry on the continent generally and what measures African countries can take to  increase participation in the extractives value chain. 

 Angelo Izama is a Ugandan journalist, writer, analyst and frequent contributor on current affairs for local and international publications and broadcasters. Angelo's interests have spanned national and regional security, political economy and international organisations as well as rights associated with free expression. He is presently researching a book on the political economy of decision-making in Uganda's oil sector and is a co-founder of a Ugandan think-tank, Fanaka Kwa Wote. As a recipient of several fellowships including the Knight Fellowship at Stanford University and the Open Society Fellowship, Angelo focuses on how effective public knowledge can affect economic and political outcomes in Uganda and within the East African region.In this episode Angelo discusses the history of oil exploration in Uganda spanning the 1900s to present, the social impact the East African Crude Oil Pipeline is likely to have on the communities on its route, the under-discussed environmental issues, and why he thinks that the Ugandan oil story will not be the stereotypical "oil curse" story. 

Nomsa Nteleko is an award-winning entrepreneur from South Africa with 15 years' experience in the ICT space. She is the Founder & CEO OS Holdings Ltd, and the Chief Commercial Officer at Amathuba AI. Nomsa's experience is specifically in business and financial management systems, primarily assisting organizations in automating their business processes from HR, Payroll, Supply Chain and Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts. In this episode Nomsa speaks about the limitless possibilities that artificial intelligence presents towards the automation of business processes on the continent. She also chats about what she views as the biggest misconceptions about AI, the moral and ethical dilemmas presented by the deployment of AI in Africa and  why she thinks the continent is more than ready for AI. Nomsa also speaks about her journey as a young, black, female founder. 

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.