By Gloria Katya
The ultimate goal of many students who pursue a course in law in Uganda is to join legal practice. However, for Joackim Mumbere, the story was different.
After spending four years at Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Law School, the 26-year-old did not proceed to the Law Development Centre to pursue a diploma in legal practice, which would enable him become an advocate.
Mumbere instead opted to venture into tourism. While a student at UCU, Mumbere started a tour and travel company. He realized that tourism was a lucrative venture when he joined the Rotaract Club of UCU in 2014. As the chairperson of the club, he was put in charge of organizing trips, dinners and picnics for club members.
The experience Mumbere garnered from organizing such events soon changed his career path.
In his second year, Mumbere started a tourism and travel company called Ecstasy Ventures. Mostly on weekends, he promoted and conducted business of the company.
In 2018, following his graduation with a bachelor of laws from UCU, Mumbere returned to his company, as his colleagues hit the streets to search for jobs.
With him in the steering of the business, it expanded its clientele rapidly. Mumbere organized dozens of trips, weddings, parties, graduation parties and boat cruises for clients.
“I also worked with many corporate companies, such as Jumia and banks, and my network grew,” he says. He credits the rate of expansion of his business to the special services that he says he offered.
“My company organizes movies, campfires and celebrates birthday parties during the trips.”
Mumbere earns between sh500,000 (about $136) and sh1,00,000 (about $272) per trip he organizes.
“I organize two-three trips every month, but my dream is to double the number,” he said.
Mumbere’s company is online, but his dream is to secure physical space (offices) for it soon.
Studying law has helped Mumbere to realize the importance of documenting every transaction with clients, so that people don’t cheat him.
“With my law background, I am not easily intimidated by certain classes of customers because I know what the law requires,” he said.
Mumbere’s dream in the next five years is to grow the company so that it can acquire more assets, travel cars, land and at least a lodge in one of the national game parks. He urges students to embrace academics, as well as their talents.
“UCU has a lot of co-curricular activities that can make students successful in life, if well exploited,” he said.
Mumbere says his parents – David and Teopista Mayanja of Kasese district in western Uganda – are proud of his business acumen. Mumbere’s law lecturer at UCU, Samson Wanambuko, says he is not surprised by what his former student has achieved.
“He was a good, inquisitive student who used to participate in class, and was always eager to learn. He is very intelligent,” Wanambuko said.
