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Ron Kawamara
Born
Ron Kazooba Kawamara

(1986-12-22) 22 December 1986 (age 37)
Fort Portal, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
University of Oxford
University of Cambridge
OccupationBusiness Executive
Known forE-comerce, Hospitality, Tourism, Public policy
Notable workVP at Jumia
TitleFounder at Hugamara Group
Spouse
Cynthia Tumwine
​
(m. 2019)​

Ron Kazooba Kawamara (born 22 December 1986), is a Ugandan business executive and entrepreneur, former CEO of Jumia Uganda.

Kazooba launched Hellofood in Uganda in 2014 and served as its country manager. In 2017, he became managing director for Jumia Food in East Africa.[1] Between 2018 and 2022, Kazooba served as vice president at Jumia Group and CEO of Jumia Uganda. He was involved in Jumia's listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019, the first for an African tech company.[2] In 2019, Kazooba founded Hugamara Group, a private equity firm, and currently chairs Uganda's E-Trade and Startup Association, and also a vice chair of Uganda Tourism Board.[3][4]

Biography

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Kazooba was born on 22 December 1988 to Mishac and Peluce Kawamara in Fort Portal, Uganda. He attended Buhinga Primary School and later joined Ntare School, where he completed his O’Level education. In his teens, Kazooba moved to the United States and studied at Los Angeles Valley College. In 2007, he enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, earning a bachelor's degree in political science and development economics in 2011. He completed a postgraduate program in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge in 2012. Kazooba further pursued a Master of Science degree in African Development Studies at the University of Oxford, graduating in 2013.[2]

Career

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Kazooba's career spans e-commerce, tech, and hospitality. He began in the San Francisco Bay Area as a Business Development Manager at People Connect and later as a Strategy Manager at FedEx. In 2014, he returned to Uganda and co-founded Hello Food, which later became Jumia Food.[5] Kazooba helped establish e-commerce in Uganda by developing online food delivery services, educating vendors, and building logistics to support the platform's growth.[6] Under his leadership, Hello Food won the Best E-Commerce Service award at the Digital Impact Awards for two consecutive years.[7]

Kazooba led Hello Food's involvement in community-focused initiatives, including donating food to Dwelling Places, a children's home in Kampala, in observance of World Hunger Day.[8] In 2014, the company partnered with the 40 Days over 40 Smiles Foundation to host an early Christmas celebration for children at Akiba Children's Home.[9] From 2016 to 2022, he served as Senior Vice President at Jumia Group and CEO of Jumia Uganda, overseeing the company's expansion in East Africa.[10] In 2023, Kazooba transitioned from Jumia to focus on his own company, Hugamara Group, a private equity firm specializing in hospitality and fintech. He continues to serve as the chairman of Uganda's E-Trade and Startup Association.[11]

Activities

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Kazooba and his wife, Cynthia, launched The Patio Brasserie in 2021 and The Maze in 2022, the dining establishments in Kampala.[12] Kazoba contributed to the development of the Electronic Investors Protection Portal (EIPP); a digital platform launched in December 2023 by President Yoweri Museveni aimed at safeguarding investment processes in Uganda. The concept facilitate communication between investors and government agencies, providing a platform for inquiries and complaints while enhancing investor protection.[13] Kazooba is a co- founder of Uganda Connect, an initiative that promotes Uganda exports. In July 2023, the initiative opened Uganda's first trade hub in Serbia which was launched by President Yoweri Museveni.[14]

Impact on e-commerce

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As CEO of Jumia Uganda, Kazooba led key initiatives, including a partnership with Liberty Insurance in 2019 to offer customers a one-year insurance on products purchased through Jumia, covering theft and damage.[15] He advocated for technological solutions to local challenges, including last mile logistics, payment systems, and supply chain management. During Jumia's Mobile Week, he presented a report on Uganda's increasing mobile penetration and smartphone adoption.[16] Under his leadership, mobile phones became the most popular and revenue-generating items on the platform, contributing to the growth of e-commerce in Uganda.[17][18] Kazooba has supported consumer protection, trust-building in e-commerce, and reducing barriers for entrepreneurs.[19][20] He also contributed to Jumia's listing on the New York Stock Exchange, the first for an African tech company, in 2019.[21]

During COVID-19, Kazooba guided Jumia Uganda in providing essential services when physical stores were closed. He led a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the Jumia Food Vendor App, an e-commerce platform aimed at supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] Jumia became a key platform for customers to access necessities like food and sanitizers while assisting small businesses in moving their sales online.[23]

Advocacy

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Kazooba advocates for tech innovation in Africa and has engaged with the government on issues such as internet taxation, import tariffs, and the need for regulatory frameworks to support the growth of e-commerce and tech startups.[24] Through his leadership roles, he has promoted entrepreneurship as a solution to critical challenges in Uganda's education, health, and transport sectors.[25]

In 2024, Ron Kawamara, as vice chairman of the Uganda Tourism Board, has advocated for more targeted tourism investments, emphasizing the need to prioritize infrastructure development within national parks, the Source of the Nile, Lake Victoria, and other tourist sites.[26]

Personal life

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Kazooba is married to Cynthia Tumwine, couple tied the knot on 21st December 2019.[27] In his personal time, he enjoys reading about politics and economics, spending time with family, and supporting tech and entrepreneurial communities across Africa.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Writer, The Publicist (2022-03-25). "CEO OF THE WEEK: Ron Kawamara". Publicist East Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  2. ^ a b c Kyamutetera, Muhereza (2022-12-12). "The story of Ron Kawamara, Uganda's 'father' of e-commerce". CEO East Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  3. ^ "Uganda Baati and E-Trade Association Work Together to Improve the Convenience of E-Commerce - infrastructure.go.ug". 2024-02-19. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  4. ^ bubuonline (2024-02-12). "Uganda Tourism Board Gets New Board". Bubu Online News. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  5. ^ Writer, JAVIRA SSEBWAMI | PML Daily Staff (2018-10-19). "Jumia names Ron Kawamara new company CEO". PML Daily. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  6. ^ "Hello, you can get your food online". Monitor. 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  7. ^ "Hello food awarded Best E-commerce service award". Monitor. 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  8. ^ "Hellofood feeds children at Dwelling places". Monitor. 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  9. ^ "Hellofood, 40/40 give Akiba Children Christmas Party". Monitor. 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  10. ^ "Jumia Uganda Gets New CEO, Braces For Black Friday". WeeTracker. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  11. ^ Albert, Kikonyogo Douglas (2018-10-18). "Jumia Uganda announces new CEO, unveils this year's Black Friday". Techjaja. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  12. ^ "Well-laid out eatery in serene space". Monitor. 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  13. ^ "Electronic Investors Protection Portal Launched - State House Uganda". 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  14. ^ Byemboijana, Muhamadi (2023-07-26). "Uganda to Launch First Trade Hub in Serbia in Global Experiential Brand & Marketing Drive". SoftPower News. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  15. ^ Tech, P. C. (2019-10-30). "Jumia Black Friday Launched, Predicted to be Bigger Than Predecessors". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  16. ^ Olupot, Nathan Ernest (2019-04-02). "Jumia Launches Mobile Week & 2019 Mobile Report". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  17. ^ Writer, Staff (2019-04-08). "Jumia Mobile Week Kicks Off Today Till April 21". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  18. ^ Writer, The Publicist (2022-06-09). "RON KAWAMARA: Today if you go to Glovo, Safe Boda, Uber, we are proud that leaders there came through Jumia ecosystem". Publicist East Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  19. ^ "Ron Kawamara Shares his Vision for Jumia: The Leading Ecommerce Platform in Uganda - MarcoPolis". 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  20. ^ Writer, Staff (2019-06-18). "Jumia Celebrating Their Anniversary in Uganda". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  21. ^ "Jumia in bullish mood after listing on NY Stock Exchange". 2019-04-16.
  22. ^ "Covid-19: UNDP, Jumia partner to link market vendors with consumers online".
  23. ^ Forbes Uganda April/May 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2024
  24. ^ "Bring down Internet costs, Jumia's Kawamara asks govt". Monitor. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  25. ^ "Ecommerce in Uganda: Online Shopping During the COVID-19 Era by Ron Kawamara of Jumia - MarcoPolis". 2020-08-26. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  26. ^ "Tickling the monkey on the back of Shs290bn tourism budget".
  27. ^ Asingwire, Mzee (2022-08-30). "Tumwine's daughter says her marriage is one of her late father's 'proudest memories'". Pulse Uganda. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
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