Musanjufu Benjamin Kavubu is my name, a graduate of B. Procurement and Logistics Management, practiced the trade for two years and things went south. I am a son to two chartered accountants, I love dogs more than I do to humans and am not good at keeping friendships going.
I’m 62kg and I love playing rugby, I think I might be the smallest rugby player on the planet. During the day I am an accountant (not by law because am still chasing my CPA title) and a private business advisor.
At night I’m a blogger, I don’t want to call myself a writer because I believe they are not the same however much they are similar. I have selective mutism, so I read a lot to get better and try hard to became interactive physically.
Where does your passion for writing come from?
I’m driven by the desire to share information. I run a blog called Benjamin WATCH, because when I was young there was a magazine called the Middle East Watch that inspired the title. I started blogging initially to share what I thought I had come to be aware of and I wanted people out there to know about it.
How did you get into blogging?
Blogs have been around for about 25 years, I had always admired people who had blogs them and had become authorities on the subjects they covered. Then I discovered I could have one too. It took me about 6 months to search and find a platform that would work for me that was at the end of my first degree in 2016.
I decided to go with WordPress and by January of 2017, I was ready to start. I was so prepared that I started with 6 blog posts at the same time. The next month I attended a workshop by Uganda Blogging Community and the tips I got from there I never looked back.
What inspires the things you blog about?
Unlike other bloggers in Uganda and Africa or even world over, I don’t have a writing lane. It’s risky because I basically write about everything.
At first, I wanted my blog to be about Geopolitics, how natural land forms tie regions politically for example here in Uganda we have the source of the mighty River Nile. Everything that happens in Uganda and countries that are along the Nile basin Including DRC and Rwanda revolves along the River Nile. It also runs through South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and to Egypt which send water to Israel through the peace canals. Its such complex theories that inspired my blogging in the start.
I have written about the Grammys, sports, I have done an interview with a fashion designer and a sports lady who is also a model. Since I blog about society I have taken on basic social issues like wages and our basic human rights. My blog questions the question, so not stopping to ask has inspired my blogging a lot.
How has been your journey as a blogger?
It has been one of those experiences of if I die now, every blog is a lesson of its own. I still miss a few words here and there, I think because of my style. I do outlines to guide a particular blog post, but when I start typing I just flow and sometimes, I make mistakes. I have a few proof readers who tell me what to correct after I make the blog public. So, it’s my readers mostly through my twitter inbox that alert me and most are bloggers themselves.
I am at the part of the journey where I help people set up their own blogs, I always encourage people to write. Our time is special that we can all keep records in our own personal way which I think will benefit the coming generations.
2019 is my biggest year because I got more involved with the activities of the Afrobloggers that have taken my blogging to a certain level of my blogging journey and I’m very grateful to them.
What has been your favourite moment of 2019?
The month of June when I blogged for 30 consecutive days, I realised there is nothing like a writer’s block during those 30 days. At the end of the challenge when those blogs I consider to be up there in Africa mentioned my blog in their posts I felt a purpose and it was no longer a side thing. The Winter Blogging Challenge took my numbers through the roof, I had never cared about statistics, but I did when my notifications where about my numbers.
The other moment was when you proposed this interview, it was too much for me but I have to keep cool and be careful not to blow it up. The fact that you have had Josephina on your interview, she is sort of worshipped in Uganda even if she is from another side of the continent, is big and special.
Who inspires you in life and in your career?
Since I’m of many trades, my procurement practice is influenced by a gentleman called Kwatampola Vincent. My accounting is inspired by the accountants that I have spent most of my life with but mostly my mother. Rugby is inspired by all those rugby players in Uganda who play for no money and my team mates at Kyambogo Rugby.
Blogging is inspired by Ruth Aine, Patricia Kahill Kutesa, Pearl Gihuora, the late Joel Benjamin Nevender, Charlie Beau, they are the pioneers of blogging in Uganda. Also, all the associates of the Uganda Blogging Community that set the bar high everyday they put out a blog post are a source of encouragement and inspiration.
Then Sinawo Bookani and Uncle of Bloggers on the African stage. There are people like Richard Quest, Anderson Copper, Christian Amanpour and BBC’s Stephen Sucker that I have looked up to while growing up.
What do you get up to when you aren’t being a blogger/poet?
If I’m not reading, then its business advisory for now and during the weekend rugby. For now, in a few months I want it to be my personal family.
What is the soundtrack to your life?
There actually two songs, one is Felisa by Yanni and the other is by City of the Sun and it’s called the intro XXX, one is calm and the other is upbeat just like my life is.
Who are your favourite writers/poets and why them?
I love Danielle Steel and her style of writing, of late I have fallen for Maya Angelou, I have always liked John Grisham, Geoffrey Archer and many Ugandan writers like Patricia Mugabi, Jennifer Makumbi and Sinowo Bookani from South Africa.
What is the long-term vision for you as a brand?
For my brand Benjamin WATCH, for now it’s a blog, but I love art and sports, so I have ideas of going commercial, to either acquire already established ventures or partnerships.
I want to explore the prospects of a media centre or information centre. I’m strongly considering a podcast to cover specifically African blogging and maybe later an awards scheme.
What are you most proud of about being Ugandan?
The weather in the central region of the country, it’s as though it’s a fixed variable. The weather in Uganda barely affects anything. We basically have two rain seasons and two dry seasons a year, but I know it may not stay like that forever as our fathers and current leaders are in denial about climate change. For now, I live the weather, we don’t have heat waves or winter.
What advice would you offer to anyone pursuing their passion?
To be committed and to think about money later. People come to me to set up blogs, but they want money to come in on the first day. They fail to comprehend that reputation is the most important thing, but it takes time to create.
How would you like to be remembered?
As the blogger that caused my readers to question the world around them.
Social media/blog
Blog : https :// musanjufukavubu.wordpress.com
Twitter: https :// twitter.com /Benjamin_ Watch
Facebook: https :// facebook.com / msanjufu
Instagram: https :// www.instagram.com / benjaminwatch/
Beautiful piece of writing 👏,
I must confess, I got know about this whole thing of blogging through Benjamin.