‘A moneyless relationship is almost loveless’ 

RADA RUBANGIRA, 28, is the founder of Rada Safaris, a tourism and travel company. He is the brains behind the Rada Wallet, a digital trip-planning platform on which travellers can save money for a specific travel package. Quick Talk caught up with him recently. 

Hello Rada! Please tell Quick Talk about yourself!

I am Mutamba Rada Rubangira. I am the founder and executive director of Rada Safaris – a tour and travel company in Uganda. I am leading the way in digitizing the tourism and travel industry in Uganda.

Please take Quick Talk through your life’s journey!

I was born in Kashaari, Mbarara on December 29, 1995. I am the fourth in a family of five children. I am the son of Ruben Bainomugisha and Harriet Kyoshabire of Kashaari. Both parents were teachers before teaching frustrated them and they opted for business.

Which schools did you attend?

I attended Namirembe Parents for Primary, Teso College Aloet for one term of senior one before joining Old Kampala SS where I completed my S4 and my A-level at Ntinda View College. I later proceeded to Uganda Martyrs University, for a degree in Information Technology. I am currently doing an Entrepreneurship for Impact master’s degree at the same university.

How do you end up in Teso?

My father was working in Soroti at the time. One of his friends told him Teso College was a nice school in the region. Even when I had wished for a different school, he told me it was the ‘Budo of Teso’. His decision was the law. A term later, the Budo he promised me could no longer favour me. That is how I found myself at Old Kampala SS.

Why didn’t you follow in his footsteps and become a teacher?

[Laughs] My dad quit teaching because teachers were paid poorly. When I grew older, I noticed that very few people recognized the role of teachers in society. I knew I was not taking that direction.

So…Rada Safaris.

It started as a joke in 2016. It looked like a wild idea to my friends. I remember one asking where I would get the cars and bazungu [well-paying tourists in Uganda are indeed White]. We all laughed about it. One of them helped to design for me the logo that I use today. It is the logo that you see here [points to his jacket].

Armed with my pocket money of Shs 800,000, I printed some Rada-branded shirts. I distributed them to a few friends and took them for lunch at the equator in Kayabwe – a walkable distance from my hostel then in Nkozi. We then took a few photos and shared them on my social media platforms.

When my other friends loved what I had done, I decided to venture into organizing affordable trips around Uganda for students at universities. I would request every person that I took for trips to mention that the trip was done by Rada Safaris. Statuses have been my mode of marketing.

How could someone without cars organize student trips?

It was very tricky, but nothing fails with God. When I approached the Nkozi university administration about my idea, they were very supportive. They would give me a bus and driver. My job was to find students that wished to travel. The business continued to stabilize. By the time I graduated, I could no longer look back.

How did you juggle between business and studying?

Nothing fails with God. Be sure that I studied and also did business. Although several people think that one thing should suffer, nothing suffered. The only challenge I had was with mathematics, since I was doing Information Technology. However, counting money has never been my weakness [laughs].

Why do Ugandan tour operators prefer foreign tourists to Ugandan tourists?

Several local operators feel there’s good money from the foreign clients compared to our local market. This entire mindset changed when the airport closed.

While the big boys who prefer foreign tourists struggled, small boys like me found our way around. I have prioritized the domestic market for a long time.

I feel Ugandans deserve to travel around their country. The domestic market is a big and reliable market with travels at any time of the year. Better strategies are needed to tap into the market.

But do Ugandans have money for tourism?

Yes! As a new entrant in the sector, I have observed that Ugandans will pay for a travel experience so long as they see value for their money in it. To appreciate that Ugandans have money, you have to reflect on the crazy amounts of money that Ugandans dish out in the Kampala nightlife.

They are ready to spend close to a million on beer in a night. You have to package your product well. Before you know it, several Ugandans will join you on the trail.

Do you regret doing IT and then ending up in tourism?

Nope. They might seem unrelated, but they are related. My background in IT meant that I knew how to innovate. I am leading a team of young people behind the Rada wallet. It shall be a game changer when we eventually hit the market. I am combining my skills to make the tourism industry better.

I hear you…

Rada Wallet is a travel platform. It allows travellers to plan and save for different touristic plans. The system allows you to know the destination within range. A tech product like Rada Wallet needs synergies. We have an option where different tour operators can onboard and also post experiences of different destinations.

Any service provider within the industry can also host their destinations. You can get to any service provider by just browsing one platform.

Have you got any recognition for this initiative?

My first award was in 2019 for the best startup award from Starthub Africa. I am a 2021 winner of a micro-grant by the French embassy through the Stanbic Business Incubator.

I also won a 2022 micro-grant from the Aga Khan Foundation for being the best innovative business. I also received $20,000 worth of seed funding from the NSSF Hi-Innovator in 2022. The last two years confirm that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Where’s Mrs Mutamba?

I am on the hunt for Mrs Rada. I am still establishing this project that keeps me sleepless at night.

What is your kind of woman?

I love a God-fearing, hardworking, business-oriented and outgoing woman. She must also be light-skinned [laughs].

Are you afraid of successful women?

I am not that type of guy. I have learnt to claim what is mine. Whether she is successful, I shall also be successful.

What is your love language?

Money!! Money eases life.

Hahaha…do you have a favourite pair of shoes?

I have a pair of gumboots from Germany [Whaaat!] Even when it is very hot outside, I feel as if my feet are in an air-conditioned office [laughs].

Any regrets?

I should have learnt how to save earlier. I blew my ka money when I was younger. But I am also happy that I spent it early in life or I would be regretting.

Do you have a celebrity crush?

Fire Baby [Winnie Nwagi]. I would settle for Irene [Ntale] if not Fire Baby. Irene plays, sings and also plays an instrument.

Quick Talk won’t point out that none of them is light-skinned, but…..so, your love language is money?

Money is very key. It makes you enjoy and love someone’s daughter better. A moneyless relationship is almost loveless.