I wanted to be a priest; Robert Bake Tumuhaise

I am Robert Bake Tumuhaise, 36, a passionate person about inspiration and literature. I am a calm author and publisher of books.

When did you start authorial work?
I started writing in 2005 and publishing for others in 2009.

What inspired you to start writing?
The desire to change African people’s mindsets. Africans are already informed but they need to be changed and inspired. People read to change lives, overcome fear, solve problems among other things. I wanted to contribute to this.

Do you have an author that inspired you?
Yes, I started admiring Chinua Achebe’s work when I was in my Senior One. I love the way he uses his writing techniques to put a reader in another world. He is the person I look up to.

What were you doing before authoring?
I briefly worked as a social researcher but resigned to start my business with Shs50, 000. I did not know there was money in writing and that is why I started with free spiritual books.

What are some of the books you have written?
I have written Tears of my mother, Tapping God’s Blessings, Unleash your Potential , A millionaire farmer among others.

How have these performed on the market?
They have performed really well given the Ugandan market. I must tell you that the Ugandan reading culture has improved greatly compared to how it was in the past years. I can now sell close to 50 copies a day.

What would you consider your ultimate achievement in this field?
Having contributed to building the literature industry in Uganda. People have started believing in Ugandan literature. I am also proud of my initiative, the Author’s Forum, a network of 1000 plus inspired people, inspiring others.

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
We still have a challenge of media houses here that don’t believe that Ugandan literature has advanced. They review and promote western literature as opposed to local literature.

What happened to this dream?
As life went on, I found the authorial power being more in me than priesthood. Also the belief that I could as well change lives as a lay man made me take this decision.

What is inspirational speaking?
It is the ability to use your own story or experience to help people grow in their dreams.

Where do you speak?
I speak whenever I am invited and I am free. However, I organise the Author’s Forum every first Wednesday of the month at Hotel Africana.

Do you prepare before speaking?
I do but I do not write because when you write, you are limited when you start to talk. I just focus on the topics that I am to speak about for purposes of giving the best without being limited.

What is the field and results in your case?
My field is business, I was able to start my own business with Shs50, 000 and I have been able to grow it to a point where it employs 10 graduates directly, 20 part time workers, and over 50 indirect jobs.

What is that special thing that you think people don’t know about you?
Haaaa… I share most of my experiences on Facebook and I think people know all about me. May be they don’t know that I studied my primary education bare footed.

Family life, tell me about it, Are you married?
Yes, with a four year old baby girl.

What would be your desired legacy?
To have 20million people testify that their lives were changed and achieved their dreams. I am still working on my legacy.

What kind of guy are you beyond Robert the author?
I am someone who values my relationship with God a lot. I am so active in my charismatic faith; I am a worship leader and song writer.

Are you an outgoing guy?
No, in fact I have never been in a dance hall and I do not take alcohol. I used to be a sports person but I left football because I saw it competing with my authorial work.

What do you do in your free time?
I watch a lot of C.E.O series like 24 because they make one’s mind believe they can achieve what ordinarily looks impossible to most people.