On any given Friday night in Kampala, the lights dim, the music swells and the bar counter becomes a stage. Behind it, bartenders measure, shake and garnish as cocktails slide across polished counters to eager patrons.
A decade ago, in popular bars like Riderz, Piato, Nimaro and Iguana, the bartender you met was most likely a man. But that narrative is steadily changing.
Paulyne Akanjuna at BushPig, Molly Ayat at Aurous and Jane Apio, a trainer with Uganda Breweries Limited, are among the women redefining the craft. As the world marked International Women’s Day on March 8, their stories reflected both the glamour and grit of life behind the bar.
All three started out as waitresses before moving behind the counter. For Akanjuna, who has bartended at BushPig since 2019, the bar simply felt more exciting. “I wanted something greater, something more captivating,” she says.
Ayat’s journey was more deliberate. She moved from waitress to cashier before negotiating quiet exchanges with bartenders, washing their glasses in return for lessons. When management offered staff a chance to switch stations, she seized the opportunity.
Apio’s entry into bartending was unexpected. Nearly nine years ago, while still a waitress, she entered the Diageo Master Bartender competition despite not technically qualifying — and won, becoming the first and only woman to take the title. Today, she mentors bartenders across the country.
Their paths echo that of pioneering bartender Ada Coleman, who became head bartender at the American Bar in The Savoy Hotel in 1903 and created the iconic Hanky Panky. More than a century later, women in Kampala are continuing that legacy.
Behind the bar, each bartender has her own style. Akanjuna and Ayat enjoy working with gin, praising its versatility in cocktails, especially with premium bottles like Tanqueray No. Ten. Apio prefers tequila and enjoys experimenting with bold flavours. “I fell in love with cocktails because of the shape of a margarita glass,” she says.
But bartending comes with challenges. Long hours on their feet are common, and misconceptions persist. “People think we are drunk because we work in a bar,” Ayat says. “Yet some bartenders don’t even drink.”
The women also face moments of doubt from customers. Apio recalls serving a man who asked to see the bartender. “I told him I was the bartender and he asked me to call the real bartender,” she says.
Despite such moments, they continue to build their craft and reputation.
According to Melanie Kaita, Reserve Ambassador at Uganda Breweries Limited, bartenders play a much larger role than simply mixing drinks. “Bartenders are storytellers, brand custodians and ambassadors of responsible consumption. Mentorship is critical because when we invest in the people behind the counter, we elevate the entire industry,” she says.
As Kampala’s nightlife evolves, women like Akanjuna, Ayat and Apio are proving that the bar is no longer a male preserve. They are not just mixing drinks — they are shaping the city’s cocktail culture, one shake at a time.
