Most people think of retirement as the end, but it might just be the beginning. In this episode of Footprints, Robby Muhumuza shares his leadership journey, his effective approach to transition, and the strategic decisions he made, revealing truths about longstanding misconceptions that cause needless struggles amid transition and burdens after retirement.
A deep lover of stories from infancy and an avid reader, Robby found learning a pleasurable norm in his home area, Bushenyi. Being receptive, he was molded into an adept leader, understanding the importance of communication and intentionality—skills that ensure objectives are met and that a leader's words and actions have a positive impact on followers. He served as the Head of the Scripture Union during his time at Makobere High School and at Makerere College, where he studied his A-Level. He was also appointed Editor in Chief of the school magazine there.
Robby later worked at World Vision for 23 years as a leader, serving as National Director of World Vision in Uganda, as a regional Director in Nairobi, and in Europe. During those years, he witnessed numerous transitions as many workers were laid off repeatedly. He learned lessons from their experiences and derived solutions to manage transition and prevent the state of being stranded that affected many after losing their jobs. Robby details how he attended retirement planning classes and capacity-building programs at his workplace. He nurtured the habit of daily journaling, which helped him keep track of his daily affairs and simplified his work when writing monthly reports, as he already maintained clear records.
Robby also adapted to living below his means while saving the rest of his earnings. He utilized the savings scheme and NSSF window at World Vision and invested ten percent of his monthly salary there—a strategic decision that proved beneficial when he received his retirement package.
By the time his inevitable transition to retirement came, he was not too taken aback. The change itself was rather sudden; major restructuring within World Vision resulted in the removal of the post of National Director entirely, so all employees in that position, including Robby, were sent home. Robby did not expect his retirement so soon—he was only 50 years old at the time and had initially anticipated it to come at age 60. Regardless, he dealt with the change well because he had started preparing for it long before. “There is life after World Vision,” he would say.
In the first 15 years of his retirement, he engaged in consultancy work for agencies and civil service organizations, backed by his expertise from years as a regional director and his qualifications in journalism. With advice from his companions, he invested in real estate, becoming a landlord. Robby attended financial literacy classes, where he learned about low-risk investments like treasury bonds, in which he invested some of the money from his retirement benefits. All his prior monthly savings proved rewarding.
Robby shares that his retirement is comfortable as his family has been well-sustained with a steady income flow. “Retirement is for slowing down, resting, and doing what you love,” he says. He advises planning for retirement the day you start working and living with the knowledge that even after retirement, you have many great years ahead. Budgeting, saving, and if possible, investing in health insurance early are essential because retirement and old age can come with health issues. He also tackles the longstanding fallacy that many parents hold—that their children should be their backup plan. He emphasizes that this is an unsustainable inference, so planning for retirement must be taken seriously. Furthermore, Robby warns against peer pressure to invest in building extremely large houses, as they may soon turn into financial burdens in terms of maintenance.
Robby’s journey is an elaborate precedent that if you want to be a great leader and thrive after retirement, you must stop undermining the Now. Be intentional in your planning and reflective, as there are lessons in every experience.
©Blurb written by Divine Karungi