Robert Kabushenga regrets his past

Robert Kabushenga  says he used to feel big and he thought he was a big man, but today he has realized he is nothing, especially after life experiences he has encountered.

The former Vision Group CEO has revealed how life outside Vision Group has given him experiences that have humbled him the most.

After quitting Vision Group, Kabushenga resorted to full-time coffee farming at his Rugyeyo Farm in Wakiso District where he is also minting millions of money, but people no longer care about his existence or who he used to be any more.

He shared his experience in  one of the Kampala churches, and described his new life as ‘very humbling’ since resigning from his full-time job.

According to Kabushenga, he used to be accorded much respect while making people sit at the reception to wait for him but now it’s him to wait for them.

“I have been humbled by the experiences of life, the most recent one was leaving my former work, I used to be a big man, big boy, and big size. Today, zero!” Kabushenga said.

Kabushenga further noted that he never imagined that a day would come when he would also have to wait at the reception to see someone and on top of that not even be recognized and has to first introduce himself and seek appointments before meeting the so-called bosses.

He narrated, “So, I go somewhere to see a big man like Mukisa. I must also first stop at the reception. There’s one famous question that people used to ask when coming to see me, now, I am the one asking it; is the big man there?

“Then the girl tells you, ‘umm let me find out.’ Then she first goes on the phone. So you wait, you stand there. Then she rings and then they tell her he’s in.

“Then she says, he’s there but I think he is in a meeting.I tell him you’re who? And then I say, tell him I am Kabushenga. She asks, Kabushenga of where? I reply, a ‘street vendor’’

After facing the real-life experiences, Kabushenga noted that he has realized that one should not go around throwing their weight and that people must learn to be polite to people.

“Life goes on, you realize that not everybody knows you. Even those who do, don’t care. And if you want to get along you say, ‘I’m sorry but tell him if he’s busy, I can come back. So, you sit at the reception quietly,” he added.

While quitting Vision Group last year, Kabushenga disclosed that he had resigned for personal reasons and asked the board for an early retirement which was accepted.

“I am proud of the success we achieved and the impact we have had in society. This was possible because we worked together as a team. For me, it was an absolute honour and pleasure to have done so’’ Kabushenga said in his resignation letter.

Kabushenga joined Vision Group as CEO in 2006 replacing William Pike. He previously worked as Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre as well as the government spokesperson.

He had earlier worked as Board Secretary for New Vision for three years until 2005, as a company secretary and legal officer as well as a legal administration officer for Monitor Publications limited.

Having joined at a time when the company was transitioning from a government-owned media to a partially private listed company, Kabushenga had the challenge of restructuring the company to become competitive and answerable to shareholders who demanded profit.

Under his tenure, Vision Group expanded its portfolio from its primary print holdings to include broadcast and digital media, such as Bukedde TV, TV West, and Urban TV. It also expanded to include radio and TV stations in Southwestern, Eastern, and Northern Uganda.

The group launched its global mobile application (E-Paper) in 2015 but disabled it in 2019. They later upgraded it in 2020 into a one-stop point for all its platforms.

Vision group also signed partnerships to promote the Uganda film industry, a legacy that Uganda cannot take for granted all courtesy of Kabushenga.