Tumushabe defined hardware business

“We shall likely never get any other woman in Ntungamo who is as shrewd, fearless and understands business like Joseline[ Tumushabe]. Many women are in business, some are successful, and others are doing better than her, but I believe she was a rare breed that can never  be replaced,” says William Mucunguzi, the chairperson Ntungamo Municipality Business Community. 

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Tumushabe lost a long battle to intestinal cancer at Nsambya hospital on Friday, January 14. 

The proprietor of Jose Hardware on Kaguta Road in Ntungamo Municipality, was the only female in hardware business in Ntungamo District. She was also among the few successful business women in south western region. 

Her husband Nicholas Kabagambe Kagundu, a civil servant and son of one of the notable businessmen in Ntungamo John Kagundu, mysteriously passed on in 2003. Tumushabe had to look after their six children. The oldest was nine years old and in Primary Two. By the time of her death they had all completed university. 

Naome Kihanda, her sister-in-law, attributes Tumushabe’s success in business to her trait of being a good listener.

“She started most of her businesses from scratch and expanded them. She became the pride of most of us and disliked being referred to as a widow but as Joseline,” Kihanda recalls. 

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In more than 15 years of business, she had created linkages and became an agent of most hardware brands. At her burial indeed messages flooded from cement, paint, machinery, iron and plastics manufacturers. She had also built a big home, started a cattle farm, had  more than 30 hectares of coffee and bananas, plus real estate ventures. 

Defied odds
Prof Stephen Magume Rwabukwire wrote a long eulogy on Ntungamo Development Platform, a WhatsApp group for the biggest brains in Ntungamo District.

“Joseline, you stood against all odds that afflict the female gender in Africa, defied prejudices against women in general and particularly the widowed to establish an economic empire and in your own premises. You have died but you will still resurrect in your children who are fortunately, of age,” the eulogy reads in part. 

Henry Tumushabe, her close friend and business partner, describes her as the most hardworking and resilient woman he has ever worked close with. 

“We virtually did everything and anything together but the challenge I had with her, whenever I thought I was tired, she would be twice energetic. Whenever I felt like giving up she would start afresh. I remember one day we were atop a lorry and it rained on us. We had developed coffee nurseries and we were supplying Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) farmers, she said we could not stop because we had not reached where we were going,” Tumushabe recounts. 

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Tumushabe would do anything to keep her business running. She feared becoming  a laughing stock. 

“She wanted her children to study and always said, ‘widows never fail,” he adds. 
Nabot Asiimwe, one of his tenants, describes her as patient.

“Who can be like madam Tumushabe? No one.  Her patience was ernomous, her  hard work incredible, her consistency   very rare, and I think no one I  wished death on her.  Even  her business peers wished her long life because she was selfless.  She is the only landlord who would wish her tenants to construct their own homes and start businesses,” Asiimwe notes. 

Nelson Akatuhwera, a former tenant, says he would take every coin to her as savings for hardware as he was constructing his house. 

“Because she differentiated business and humanity, one time I had saved Shs400,000 with her for cement and I was late to pay my rent, but when I came to pick cement she never asked why I had not paid rent or deduct from what I had given her. She instead encouraged me to go ahead and build,” Akatuhwera recollects. 

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For two months, she was bedridden and lost her speech. Her children ran business well, got supplies from companies and paid debts she had incurred.

“At times it is hard to explain the trust people had in my mother, the people for example who supplied us cement knew she was bedridden, but they gave us a big debt of cement, they continued to supply us, no one stopped. I only wish we do not bring ourselves down after what she created for us,” Dr Phillip Kabagambe her son, who runs the hardware says. 

She built a business for her family,  formed a chain  of trust among partners, made a name among competitors, reduced detractors, inspired business, made widows proud and orphans firm, ignored haters focused on the ball and died in honour. 

On Sunday, January 16, thousands paid their last respects to  the 55-year-old. Her casket was lowered into the grave, on the land she bought after the death of her husband. 

“Whenever I worked in her plantation, I would be assured of my pay in time. I used it to pay my children’s school fees. I am not sure if I will keep working in her gardens,” Tumusiime Emmanuel, a worker eulogised. 

The Dean St Mathew Cathedral, Kyamate, the Most Rev Can Joash Tushangomujuni presided over her sendoff ceremony and the preacher was the Rev Augustus Ainebyona. Rev Ainebyoona’s message told the mourners that:

“Many of us here would want to be like Joseline, but we are filled with envy, laziness, discouragement, and hatred. Some wished her death thinking it would be her end, because you thought she was doing a lot, but who stopped you from do it? She gave to the vulnerable, to church, employed and cared for many; and she did business, she was a widow, a mother and great woman. She made her mark,” Rev Ainebyona said. 

Quick notes...The business 
In more than 15 years of business, she had created linkages and became an agent of most hardware brands. At her burial indeed messages flooded from cement, paint, machinery, iron and plastics manufacturers.