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Ron Kawamara

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Ron Kawamara
BornRon 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
Occupation(s)Business Executive, Entrepreneur, Investor
Known forE-comerce, Hospitality, Tourism, Public policy
Notable workSenior Vice President (SVP) at Jumia Group and CEO Jumia Uganda
TitleFounder and CEO at Hugamara
Spouse Cynthia Tumwine ​(m. 2019)​

Ronald Kazooba Kawamara or simply referred to as Ron Kawamara (born 22 December 1986), is a Ugandan business executive, entrepreneur, impact investor and philanthropist known for his key role in shaping the Uganda's digital commerce landscape. In 2014, Ron co-founded Hello Food, Uganda's online food delivery platform, which later transitioned into Jumia Food. Ron served as Senior Vice President (SVP) at Jumia Group, Africas's tech unicorn and CEO of Jumia Uganda until 2022. He was involved in Jumia's listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019, the first for an African tech company. Ron is often referred to as Uganda's father of e-commerce. In 2021, he featured in Forbes. In 2022, Ron shifted focus to lead Hugamara, a holding company which invests in various sectors. Since 2019, he serves as Chairman of Uganda's E-Trade and Startup Association, and as Vice Chairman of the Uganda Tourism Board since January 2024.

Biography

Ron was born on 22 December 1986 in Fort Portal, Uganda, to Mishac Kawamara, currently a Senior Presidential Advisor– Mobilisation, and Peluce Kawamara. He attended Buhinga Primary School and later joined Ntare School, where he completed his O’Level education. In his teens, Ron 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. As a Miller Scholar, he carried out research in 2012 on how the Lord's Resistance Army in Northern Uganda managed to terrorize the region for so long. He is a co-founder of the Organization of African Students at University of California, Berkeley and served as Berkeley Student Ambassador for study abroad. He completed a postgraduate programme in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge in 2012. Ron further pursued a Master of Science degree in African Development Studies at the University of Oxford, graduating in 2013.

Career

Ron'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, considered the first major online platform in Uganda, which later became Jumia Food. Ron helped establish e-commerce in Uganda by developing online food delivery services, educating vendors, and building logistics to support the platform's growth. Ron 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. 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.

In 2016, Ron joined Jumia group, initially, as the East Africa Regional Managing Director of Jumia On-Demand Services, and later, he served as Senior Vice President at Jumia Group and CEO of Jumia Uganda, overseeing the company's expansion in East Africa. In 2022, Ron transitioned from Jumia to focus on his own company, Hugamara, a long-term holding company with a focus on building and acquiring businesses across various sectors. Hugamara holds a portfolio of 18 hospitality, Green Tech, security, and logistics companies run by extraordinary leaders in Uganda, Kenya, UAE, and the USA. He continues to serve as the Chairman of Uganda's E-Trade and Startup Association.

Activities

Ron 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 EIPP facilitates communication between investors and government agencies, providing a platform for inquiries and complaints while enhancing investor protection. Ron 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.

Impact on e-commerce

Ron often described as Uganda's "father of e-commerce," played a pivotal role in shaping the digital commerce landscape in the country. His journey in the sector began when he returned to Uganda and launched Hello Food in 2013, which was one of the first significant online business ventures in Africa. Despite the challenges of introducing online food delivery to a market unfamiliar with e-commerce, Kawamara's efforts laid the groundwork for the sector's growth. He worked tirelessly to educate both consumers and vendors, overcoming skepticism and building trust through a focus on profit margins and delivery solutions. Under his leadership, Hello Food won the Best E-Commerce Service award at the Digital Impact Awards for two consecutive years. This facilitated Hello Food's transition into Jumia Food in 2016, which solidified the platform's place in the region. Ron was also involved in raising investment for e-commerce startups on the global scale. As East Africa Managing Director for Jumia, Ron Kawamara expanded its presence, making Uganda a leading market. He tackled challenges like supply chains and high internet costs with innovative solutions and built a strong logistics system. Kawamara also advocated for regulatory reforms and better internet access, emphasizing consumer trust through warranties and secure payments.

As CEO of Jumia Uganda, Ron led initiatives like a 2019 partnership with Liberty Insurance to provide one-year insurance on purchases. He championed solutions for logistics, payments, and supply chain challenges. 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. Ron also played a role in Jumia's listing on the New York Stock Exchange, the first for an African tech company. During COVID-19, Ron 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. Jumia became a key platform for customers to access necessities like food and sanitizers while assisting small businesses in moving their sales online.

Advocacy

Ron 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. Through his leadership roles, he has promoted entrepreneurship as a solution to critical challenges in Uganda's education, health, and transport sectors. In 2024, Ron joined other executives in advocating for establishment of indigenous patient capital and a cross-border African Investment Bank to retain local capital, reduce reliance on foreign investment, and drive sustainable economic growth in Uganda and the region.

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. Ron emphasized the need for patient, indigenous capital to finance local businesses, advocating for keeping capital within Uganda to support sustainable growth. His efforts align with initiatives to establish patient capital, and a cross-border African Investment Bank aimed at fostering long-term regional prosperity.

Personal life

Ron is happily married to Cynthia Tumwine and tied the knot on 21 December 2019. He is a cousin to King Oyo of Tooro Kingdom.

References

  1. Writer, The Publicist (2022-03-25). "CEO OF THE WEEK: Ron Kawamara". Publicist East Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  2. ^ Kyamutetera, Muhereza (2022-12-12). "The story of Ron Kawamara, Uganda's 'father' of e-commerce". CEO East Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  3. ^ Forbes Uganda April/May 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2024
  4. "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.
  5. bubuonline (2024-02-12). "Uganda Tourism Board Gets New Board". Bubu Online News. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  6. "President Museveni Appoints Mishac Kawamara As Senior Presidential Advisor – Mobilisation - State House Uganda". 2024-09-21. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  7. "Kazooba Kawamara (2013) – Undergraduate Research & Scholarships". Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  8. Writer, JAVIRA SSEBWAMI | PML Daily Staff (2018-10-19). "Jumia names Ron Kawamara new company CEO". PML Daily. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  9. "Hello, you can get your food online". Monitor. 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  10. "Hellofood feeds children at Dwelling places". Monitor. 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  11. "Hellofood, 40/40 give Akiba Children Christmas Party". Monitor. 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  12. "Jumia Uganda Gets New CEO, Braces For Black Friday". WeeTracker. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  13. Albert, Kikonyogo Douglas (2018-10-18). "Jumia Uganda announces new CEO, unveils this year's Black Friday". Techjaja. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  14. "Electronic Investors Protection Portal Launched - State House Uganda". 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  15. 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.
  16. "Hello food awarded Best E-commerce service award". Monitor. 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  17. "Hellofood Raises $100M in expansion drive". Monitor. 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  18. Tech, P. C. (2019-10-30). "Jumia Black Friday Launched, Predicted to be Bigger Than Predecessors". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  19. Staff Writer (2019-04-08). "Jumia Mobile Week Kicks Off Today Till April 21". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  20. 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.
  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. "Bring down Internet costs, Jumia's Kawamara asks govt". Monitor. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  24. "Ecommerce in Uganda: Online Shopping During the COVID-19 Era by Ron Kawamara of Jumia - MarcoPolis". 2020-08-26. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  25. Clinton, Nuwahereza (2024-03-24). "Uganda Moves Towards Establishing Indigenous Patient Capital and African Investment Bank".
  26. "Tickling the monkey on the back of Shs290bn tourism budget".
  27. "Uganda Moves Towards Establishing Indigenous Patient Capital and African Investment Bank".
  28. 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.
  29. Paramount Images Studio Uganda (2020-01-16). Jumia UG boss' wedding in Fort Portal. Retrieved 2024-11-03 – via YouTube.
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