Rootical Uganda Welcomes a New Director: Abu Musuuza.
At Rootical, every step we take is rooted in a belief that food systems must be transformed by those who live within them, nurture them, and depend on them. That said, we are deeply excited to share one such step: Rootical Uganda will now be led by Abu Musuuza, who joins us as our new Director.
Rootical’s vision: led and owned by Ugandans
From the very beginning, Rootical has been designed to be fully led, shaped, and owned by Ugandans. When we introduced our steward ownership set-up, it was a signal that Rootical’s long-term future belongs to the people who are closest to the challenges and opportunities of Uganda’s food system.
Abu stepping into this role is a crucial next step on that path.
With this transition, Rootical in Uganda gained a leader with deep entrepreneurial experience, farming knowledge, and a reputation for building impactful ventures.
Who is Abu Musuuza?
Abu is no stranger to the entrepreneurial landscape in Uganda. He is a two-time successful founder who has built ventures from scratch to profitability, proving not only his entrepreneurial resilience but also his ability to navigate complex business environments.
Village Energy (2010): A social enterprise that provides clean energy solutions to off-grid communities. It initially focused on local assembly and distribution of solar systems, but its scalable success came from building a network of rural solar shops and training local technicians to ensure quality products and reliable after-sales service.
Flip Africa (2018): A tech company that tackles youth unemployment by operating a gig economy platform. It matches young people to work and, crucially, allows them to build a verifiable professional and financial profile through recorded work history and transactions, helping them access formal financial services.
Alongside his entrepreneurial background, Abu brings over 10 years of personal farming experience. His connection to the land, soils, and seasons grounds his leadership in Uganda’s rural reality.
Abu Musuuza, Rootical Uganda’s Director
As an Ashoka Fellow, Abu embodies purpose-driven innovation and is part of a global network of social innovators recognized for building systemic solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. This recognition is not symbolic, it is practical. It means Abu enters Rootical with credibility, with visibility, and with a network that will inspire even more ambitious founder profiles to build alongside him in Uganda.
Strengthening Rootical’s leadership muscle
This appointment builds on the senior expertise we welcomed a year ago when Ruth Ndwiga joined the team to strengthen our HR and Talent capacity.
With Ruth’s leadership, Rootical has grown more deliberate in how we support founders building systems that care not just for ventures, but for the people behind them. Her work has helped us refine recruitment, nurture diverse teams, talents and cultivate a supportive culture in which entrepreneurs thrive.
Why this matters for Rootical’s next chapter
We believe our model must be replicable, investable, and transformative capable of delivering ventures that regenerate ecosystems and food systems at scale. Abu’s leadership gives us the confidence to step into this new chapter with boldness.
For Hannes Van den Eeckhout, Rootical Uganda co-founder and former director this transition feels timely and right. “Together we will do much more, and I will have more time to focus on: strategic projects and collaborations, fundraising and investor relations, building inter-studio synergies, supporting the replication of our model in Tanzania and beyond.
Looking forward
We officially welcome Abu to the Rootical team. His blend of entrepreneurial grit, street wisdom, and systemic vision make him the right leader for this moment.
This handover of leadership is a step forward in realizing our vision of locally-led, globally-connected studios that transform food systems from the ground up.
We look forward to learning from you, building with you, and walking this journey with you, Abu. The best is yet to come.
