Designing Memory: Kenneth Kanaabi’s Afrocentric Vision at Huema

Kenneth Kanaabi, the Chief Designer of Huema, is challenging everything we think we know about interior and furniture design. Drawing from Uganda’s architectural marvels, indigenous materials, and ancestral stories, Kenneth creates not just objects but vessels of memory, pride, and cultural continuity. Born into a creatively gifted family and shaped by his experiences from Kampala to the Canary Islands, Kenneth’s work sits at the intersection of storytelling, sustainability, and self-rediscovery. In this interview, he unpacks how Huema is using Afrocentric aesthetics to reconnect diasporans with their roots, redefine luxury, and confront the global design industry’s outdated perceptions of Africa.

The Future Is Ancestral: Inside Huema’s Afrocentric Design Movement

FAB: What inspired the name Huema?

Kenneth Kanaabi: The name Huema comes from a blend of three ideas. Some pronounce it “Yuma” or “Wuma,” but it’s actually derived from hue, meaning colour, reflecting the vibrant tones of the African continent. The MA stands for both material and making, symbolizing craftsmanship whilst respecting mother nature. Essentially, our goal is to revive the overlooked aesthetics of the continent and reinterpret them for contemporary use. We draw from cultural elements that might seem mundane and, through modern technology and design, transform them into pieces that speak to today’s fashion taste. That’s the story behind the name: hue for colour and ‘MA for material and making.

FAB: What core philosophy or problem inspired the creation of Huema Design?

Kenneth Kanaabi: Huema Design was born from the desire to blend design with cultural identity and purpose. We noticed that many modern objects lack meaning. You might buy a couch, for example, purely for function, but because there’s no emotional attachment, it’s easy to discard. So, we set out to merge function with meaning, to create pieces that endure not just physically, but emotionally. Our aim is to design objects that people cherish and can pass down through generations. In doing so, we’re advocating for sustainability and breaking the cycle of disposable consumerism.

FAB: That philosophy really shines through. I noticed a strong sense of intention in your use of colour and materials. How do you select them?

Kenneth Kanaabi: All our colours are inspired by nature. Africa is incredibly rich in natural beauty, and we pull from the vivid hues found across the continent, especially in the tropics. We create colour palettes that resonate with what might be called “African colours.” As for materials, wood is our primary medium. We strive to showcase the authentic character of each material, its grain, texture, and natural imperfections. When clients come to us with a brief, we integrate their vision while staying true to the continent’s aesthetics. The end goal is always the same: create something practical, visually striking, and deeply meaningful.

FAB: Speaking of that, I noticed your pieces strike a balance between minimalism and intricate detail. How do you approach the creative process when designing something new?

Kenneth Kanaabi: At Huema, our design philosophy is grounded in two core principles: contextuality and materiality. With contextuality, we begin by drawing inspiration from a specific cultural background, often from different regions of Africa. For instance, if we’re working on a piece inspired by my Ugandan roots, we might explore a particular ethnic group and their traditions. We explore unique aspects of their culture, past or present. We study how they lived, their tools, rituals, and stories. From there, we start asking: How do we turn this cultural narrative into a tangible object for everyday life?

We then move into sketching and rapid prototyping, using tools like 3D printers and digital design software to experiment with form and function. Once the design is right and rooted in the story and functions well, we move to the second principle: materiality. Here, we select local materials that best reflect the story we’re telling. We ask what materials were historically used or which ones best capture the cultural essence. For example, our Kasubi stool was inspired by the tombs, traditional tombs found in Kampala. We examined how to translate that sacred architecture into a modern stool or table. It’s all about storytelling, letting materials and design speak for the people and places they’re inspired by.

FAB: So would you say Huema is designing furniture or creating experiences? Or how do you want people to feel when they leave with your pieces?

Kenneth Kanaabi: First, I would love for anyone who gets one of our pieces to find that it solves a problem in their life. There are many problems that a thoughtfully created piece can address. For example, many people in the diaspora have a strong desire to reconnect with their roots on the continent. This connection can be done through art, music, and even everyday objects. Often, there’s a gap in the items they use daily, things that could help them feel closer to home. So, our pieces serve as a bridge to their stories, allowing them to connect to their heritage, no matter where they are.

I believe that anyone who owns our piece should feel a renewed sense of confidence in their cultural identity. Each item we create carries meaning that is inspired by real stories and crafted by local artisans from the continent. Ultimately, I want our designs to do three things: Solve a problem in the user’s space. Express and instill pride in cultural identity, and carry meaning and purpose in everyday life.

FAB: You said each of your pieces carries a meaning. Let’s focus on the Kasubi Stool and Table. What inspired that collection?

Kenneth Kanaabi: The Kasubi Stool and Table is one of our signature pieces, and it’s received incredible feedback. We first showcased it in Kampala during an open studio, and later at Nairobi Design Week. People responded well to its minimalist design and craftsmanship. But once they learned the story behind it, their connection to the piece deepened.

Let me walk you through the journey. The Kasubi Stool draws inspiration from the Kasubi Tombs, a site of deep cultural significance in Uganda. The Baganda, the largest ethnic group in Uganda, have a rich pre-colonial architectural heritage. Traditionally, every new king would build his own palace on a different hill, following a consistent architectural style passed down from his ancestors. When a king died, his palace would be transformed into his tomb.

This tradition continued until colonial intervention. The British saw this widespread land use as a threat and persuaded the monarchy to adopt a centralized burial system. That’s how the Kasubi Tombs were established. Today, they serve as the final resting place of the 4 kings. These tombs are not just burial grounds; they’re symbolic and spiritual. For instance, the lower jaw of each king is preserved and revered; it’s believed to carry the power of command, as the jaw once moved to issue royal decrees.

We were deeply inspired by the architectural structure of the tombs. Many Ugandans aren’t aware of this heritage, so we asked ourselves: how can we preserve and share this story through design? The tomb’s ceiling features 52 rings, each representing one of the 52 clans of the Buganda Kingdom. The first three rings symbolize the founding clans, and more were added as the kingdom expanded. The structure is crowned with a massive, grass-thatched conical roof—around 7-10 metres tall, the height of a two-storey building—and supported by poles and bark cloth partitions. Bark cloth, once used in clothing and furniture, is an ancient material unique to Uganda. We studied this architectural form, its scale, and symbolism. Then we asked: how can we turn this into a usable, portable object? That’s how the Kasubi Stool came to life.

The stool’s seat features three concentric rings, symbolizing the kingdom’s founding clans. Its base reflects the conical shape of the tombs. Supporting spindles hold the rings, creating a structure that’s both stable and sculptural. We used Musambya wood, a local material also used in constructing the tombs, to preserve authenticity. The result is a piece that functions as a stool, a table with a glass top, or a modular unit for various configurations. It’s versatile, elegant, and rich in meaning. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive reactions in Kampala and Nairobi, and it remains one of our most meaningful designs.

FAB: Many brands chase luxury, but Huema feels more like essential luxury. Who is your ideal customer, and what do they value most?

Kenneth Kanaabi: When we begin our design process, we often create an avatar of the ideal client. Our primary focus is the African diaspora. I felt this personally during my university studies in the Canary Islands, Spain. Living there, I often felt like an outsider. The language was different, the culture unfamiliar, and I couldn’t express my African identity fully.

Music became my comfort. I’d listen to African songs and decorate my room with a few pieces of African art, just to feel at home. Then one day, I visited an Indian friend. The moment I walked in, I knew I was in an Indian space. You could smell curry, see colourful fabrics, and sense their cultural pride. They had carried a piece of home with them. That moment hit me hard. I realized I had nothing around me that told my story.

That experience planted the seed for Huema. And I wanted to use design as a tool to fill that gap. For people in the diaspora who want to express their cultural identity through design, through usable pieces in their spaces, this could be one of the products that helps them do just that.

FAB: Let’s shift gears a bit and talk about the man behind the brand. What’s your earliest memory of seeing design, not just as decoration, but as a form of power?

Kenneth Kanaabi: I come from a deeply creative family. My dad is an multidisciplinary artisan with a home workshop, always building things with his hands to provide for us. My mom is a beautician who also runs a salon. Through her work, she helps women feel confident and beautiful. Growing up, I was surrounded by this spirit of creativity, of using your hands to solve problems and bring joy to others.

I started making things very early on. I was both my dad’s assistant in his workshop and my mom’s helper when she braided hair or did African knots. Those experiences sparked my curiosity about design and making. I wanted to go beyond just creating; I wanted to understand the theory and philosophy behind design. That’s what led me to architecture school.

While studying, I earned a scholarship to study in Spain for a year. That experience exposed me to European design cultures, but it also made me painfully aware of a void: how African design is often misrepresented or misunderstood.

When I asked my colleagues what they thought about African design, their responses were based on outdated narratives: masks, huts, and artefacts. I visited the university library and found the same thing: detailed documentation of design from China, Europe, and the Americas, but very little on contemporary African design. Most of what was there dated back to colonial or pre-colonial times.

It shocked me. It was as if Africa hadn’t progressed, as if we had no design schools, no innovation, and no evolution in thinking. That moment became a turning point. I realized we need to rewrite the narrative. Yes, our ancestors created incredible artefacts like stools and masks now housed in museums. But we’ve had over 60 years of independence across African countries. We’ve built institutions, educated designers, and developed new ways of thinking.

My mission is to show that African design has evolved. From traditional stools to monumental structures like the Kasubi Tombs and beyond, there’s a clear trajectory that blends heritage with modernity. I want to push that vision forward, creating meaningful, culturally grounded designs that also reflect contemporary innovation and inspire other African creatives to do the same.

FAB: As Chief Designer, how do you foster innovation within your team while staying rooted in your personal vision, or rather, the DNA of the brand?

Kenneth Kanaabi: I work with a team of five designers. Together, we handle a wide range of projects, interior design, furniture, and spatial and experiential design. We also develop collectible pieces, launching at least five new ones every year.

The first step is always education. I make sure everyone understands the deeper purpose of our work. It’s not just about aesthetics. There’s a broader vision, something meaningful we’re building towards. And once the team connects with that vision, their energy and commitment follow naturally. We’re a young team, full of curiosity and drive. What motivates us goes far beyond money. They believe in the mission and push themselves daily to move closer to our goals.

As the lead designer, I’m constantly thinking ahead—how do we create new pieces? Right now, we have quite a number, about 60 stools in our collection, all inspired by different cultures across the continent. We conducted research across West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and South Africa, looking into different tribes and groups of people. Those groups inspired us to come up with these 60 designs.

Every year, we unveil five new pieces from that growing archive. Last year, we launched five. This year, we’ll do the same. It’s a long-term vision, a steady, intentional build that’s shaping a more dynamic and inclusive future for African design.

FAB: What do you envision for Huema in the next five years? More collections? More collaborations? Or something else entirely?

Kenneth Kanaabi: I see Huema evolving into a globally recognized African design house. When people talk about African design, I want Huema to be part of that conversation, consistently and authentically. But beyond simply being admired for our cultural novelty, I want African design to become a driving force in global design conversations. We often see African design treated as an exotic curiosity. My vision is to shift that, so that we, as African creatives, set the trends others follow.

Imagine a world where our design philosophies inspire the likes of Apple or leading industrial design houses in China. Where the creative DNA behind global products and experiences can be traced back to African design thinking. That’s the future I want to help build.

Africa has a young and vibrant population, and I envision building an academy—one that trains and empowers young designers with culturally-rooted and forward-thinking design philosophies. We’re also aiming to open flagship stores in Europe and beyond, while expanding our exhibition presence across the continent. Sustainability and material innovation are also key parts of our mission. For example, the jacket I’m wearing today is made from bark cloth, an incredible, renewable material we’re exploring for wider use. These are the kinds of innovations we want to champion.

FAB: If Huema could be placed in any iconic space, home, or museum in the world, where would that be?

Kenneth Kanaabi: Honestly, I think beyond traditional galleries and museums. Many African creators today focus on making pieces specifically for curated spaces, but our approach is different. While we welcome museum interest, our real goal is to see Huema pieces integrated into everyday life.

I want to walk into a home, a café, a restaurant, or even a hotel with Afrocentric decor and see our work there, alive and loved. That’s a bigger success for us than being locked behind glass. And we want that to start here on the continent. If African people embrace and live with our designs, that means we’re doing something right.

Sure, if international museums or galleries want to showcase our work, we’re open to it. But our priority is to bring meaningful, well-crafted design into real, lived spaces.

FAB: For people discovering Huema for the first time, what message would you like them to take away from this conversation?

Kenneth Kanaabi: First, I want to say: welcome to a new era of African design. We’re only getting started, but we’ve spent years dreaming and building towards this moment. Our mission is to represent the incredible diversity of African cultures through furniture and objects that carry depth, meaning, and craftsmanship.

Africa is not one story. It’s many. And our goal is to reflect that richness through unique, high-quality pieces that speak to people, no matter where they are in the world. This is a lifetime project for us. We’re here for the long haul.

FAB: Finally, if Huema could speak directly to interior designers, collectors, and conscious consumers, what would it say?

Kenneth Kanaabi: Huema would say, Let our work speak to your soul. We want our products to tell a story. We want people to look at a stool or a table and feel something. Huema designs with purpose, using renewable resources and minimal waste. That’s how African design has always functioned: eco-conscious, meaningful, and community-driven.

If someone owns a Huema piece that carries cultural meaning, they’re less likely to toss it aside like a mass-produced product. That’s sustainability in its truest form: design that lasts because it matters. Supporting Huema means investing in a community. You’re uplifting young African artisans, encouraging cultural pride, and helping to build a more thoughtful, less wasteful world.