By BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI

More by this Author

Tumusiime: A man of books

James R. Tumusiime, 67, is a pioneer East African African cartoonists. He created Bogi Benda and co-authored the Ekanya comic strips, and was one of the brains behind Uganda’s leading daily newspaper - The New Vision — and later founded Fountain Publishers in 1988, his greatest professional achievement according to him.

Tumusiime was born in 1950 in Rugando in Mbarara district in western Uganda. “Growing up, I was a jack of all trades and master of none. I liked art and I combined it with science and history.

He attended Mbarara High School for his O level and King’s College Budo for A level. He holds a BSc in Agriculture and Economics from Makerere University, an MBA from ESAMI and a Diploma in Publishing from the UK.

He says the biggest challenge facing publishing in the country is a poor reading culture, compounded by poverty. “We read what does not impact on us, produced by the rest of the world.

His advice to those who are considering a career in publishing, is that they have to understand and internalise the profession from production to content generation and linking with end users.

------------------------------------

What’s your off-duty passion?

Looking after my cattle on my farm in Mbarara district.

What would you have been if you were not in publishing?

Probably a teacher or lecturer so as to pass on information to others. I also love working with groups, especially artists to come up with ideas, events and create stuff.

What signifies your personal style?

My clothes are easy, fit for different occasions. I like hats too, for protection against the sun.

How do you manage your wardrobe?

I have everything from cocktail suits, blazers, shirts and trousers to casual khaki shorts, which I arrange in a descending order in the wardrobe from formal to informal wear.

While in East Africa, where are you most likely to spend your Saturday afternoon?

In a game park on a game drive somewhere in any of the East African countries I find myself.

Describe your best destination yet in East Africa?

Nairobi, because of the memories of my long stay there in the 1980s. The Nairobi National Park is so far my best destination in the region.

Do you have a must-visit list?

In East Africa I want to visit the Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda and the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Beyond the region, I never tire of Cape Town because it combines a colonial history, beautiful landscape, the ocean, wine country, and it is the entry point to Nelson Mandela’s former prison of Robben Island.

What is East Africa’s greatest strength?

I think it’s the weather. This region has a good combination of all the seasons of the continent. It is neither too hot nor too cold. But besides that, the region is endowed with nearly everything: a good climate, diverse natural vegetation, lakes, rivers, wildlife, the Indian Ocean, volcanoes and Kiswahili, the lingua franca of the region.

What is your best collection?

My books and music. Whenever I travel abroad I buy books and music CDs. I prefer non-fiction contemporary history, politics and economics. My musical taste is broad, but I prefer country and gospel music.

What is the most thoughtful gift you have ever received?

My nephew, whom I put through school, bought me a book titled 14,000 Quips and Quotes for Writers and Speakers by E.C. McKenzie after he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine at Makerere University. He is now practising medicine in the US.

What is the best gift you have given?

I enjoy giving financial help to young people to see them through their educational and employment aspirations.

What is the most influential book you have read recently?

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilribagiza and Steve Erwin. Ilribagiza survived the 1994 Rwanda genocide by the skin of her teeth. She is now based in the US and is a public speaker and reconciles broken societies around the world using her life as an example.

Which film has impacted you the most?

I am not a great film fan but I prefer films with themes and scenes relevant and familiar to Africans. I enjoyed Queen of Katwe and The Last King of Scotland.

What is a constant in your fridge?

Water and milk. I stock beer or wine depending on my mood.

How do you unwind after a day’s work?

Having a cup of tea with my wife at home. I later drive to the Kampala Club for a beer or a glass of wine with friends.