Three years in Dubai, one dream in Kampala: Kamanyi Derrick's business journey

Every morning in Kyanja, Kampala, Kamanyi Derrick opens his phone shop and reaches for his phone.

He does not pick it up to make a call. He uses it to record content.

He films the phones in stock. He gives prices. He shows new arrivals. He tells customers which models are moving fast. He then posts the videos on TikTok.

By the time many potential buyers scroll through their phones on the way to work or school, Kamanyi’s stock is already on their screens.

That daily routine now drives his business. But the story behind it started far from Kampala.

Kamanyi, 30, was born on May 31, 1996, in Kasese district. He later moved to Dubai, where he worked for three years and saved money with a clear plan to return home and start a business.

Unlike many migrant workers who send most of their money home for family support, Kamanyi focused on saving enough capital to invest when he returned to Uganda.

After three years, he came back and entered the phone trade.

He says a friend who was already doing well in the business inspired him. That example helped him choose phones over other trades.

Kamanyi set up his business in Kyanja and began to grow it step by step. The phone market in Kampala is competitive. Traders deal in new phones, used phones, refurbished devices and imported stock.

Prices also change often because many phones are imported and priced against the dollar. This makes the business risky for small traders.

Kamanyi says he has also faced competition, theft and heavy taxes.

At one point, the Uganda Revenue Authority confiscated his phones. The loss almost broke the business. For a small trader, stock is the main asset. Losing it can close a shop.

But Kamanyi returned to the trade and rebuilt his stock.

He now relies heavily on TikTok to reach customers. He first started posting on Instagram in 2019, but later found TikTok more useful for attracting new buyers.

Through short videos, he shows customers what he has before they visit the shop. The platform has helped him build trust and reach people beyond Kyanja.

Kamanyi says TikTok has become his strongest source of clients. His daily posts make the business visible and help customers see him as a real person behind the products.

Beyond phones, Kamanyi counts land among his biggest achievements. For him, land represents security and proof that the business has started to create value beyond daily sales.

He now wants to become one of Uganda’s most trusted phone dealers within the next two years.

His journey from Kasese to Dubai and then to Kyanja shows how savings, discipline and social media can help a young trader build a business in a difficult market.