{UAH} The man who prided in calling himself the Encyclopedia of Busoga
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By Oweyegha Afunaduula
The man who prided in calling himself the Encyclopedia of Busoga, Ali K. Kirunda Kivejinja. And yes he was. By the time he passed on late last year -a political giant fallen to Covid 19 -he was one of the only few surviving beings who had a broad knowledge of Busoga. He was also the pillar of NRM/A in Busoga. He had closely engaged himself with Towering Tibuhaburwa in the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) rebel activities in Busoga during the reign of Uganda's only Field Marshal and President for Life so far, Idi Amin Dada. During his sojourn in the Bushes of Luwero, we lost some important people, Kasadha and Mbigiti, whom he had recruited for FRONASA, and were eliminated by Amin by firing squad.
During his long political manifestation as a pillar of NRM in Busoga and on and off as Minister in President Museveni's Government, I interacted with him only twice. Possibly I missed a lot tapping off the Encyclopedia. However, my own dad, who was a little older than him and had started his political career long before Kivejinja did, in the days of the Uganda National Congress, and long before Milton Obote did in Uganda (remember Obote started his political career with the Kenya African National Union, KANU) had taught me a lot about Busoga and used to move with me quite a number of times when he was Speaker of Busoga Lukiiko, exposing me to many political heavyweights in the area those day, including the two Kyabazingas -first Henry Wako Muloki and then Kadhumbula Gabula Budiope. It would not be far-fetched if I said that the fallen Encyclopedia was far more known in Kampala than Busoga.
The first time was when he and I were invited to address the same audience in Iganga District, by then including all the cluster of Directs existing today except Jinja, Kaliro, Kamuli and Buyende. That was in the early 1990s. Iowa's a lecturer at Makerere University and he was some important person at the NRM Secretariat. We went separately, addressed the audience together but with divergent outputs, and then we travelled back to Kampala together in his car. We talked about a range of issues, agreed on some and disagreed on others. By the time he dropped me at my Ssemakokiro residence at Makerere University it was clear that we disagreed more that we agreed on the capacity of NRM/A to make Uganda different from what it was before in terms of democracy, respect for human rights, economy, justice, extrajudicial justice. He must have died a very disappointed man because what he struggle to eliminate was still persistent and gaining in momentum. However, despite our obvious divergence in opinion, he invited me to call on him in his Office at the NRM Secretariat. I regret to reveal that I had not honoured the invitation by the time he passed on.
The second time I interacted with Ali Kirunda Kivejinja at close range was in May 2019, during a graduation function organised by my late brother, Moses Wasedde Mwavu, a former official with the Electoral Commission, for his 5 who had obtained different degrees in different fields, including Medicine and policy planning at Bugonza, Nawaka, in Ikumbya Subcounty of Luuka District. Of course I would have interacted with him more if I was attending the regular Mwiri Old Boys Association (MOBA). Nevertheless, this was a critical encounter with the political heavyweight. He was the Chief mourner. He interacted well with everyone and remembered to mention that he and my dad were good friends for a long time despite having divergent political beliefs. He narrated the political history of Uganda, which he articulated well in his book, "Uganda:the Crisis of Confidence" published in 1995 by Progressive Publishing House, Kampala. Little did all of us did we know that soon we would not see Moses Wasedde Mwavu and Kirunda Kivejinja again. Moses Wasedde Mwavu passed on around 20.December and was buried at his home in Bugonza, Nawaka, on 22 December 2019. Kirunda Kivejinja died in the same month a year later (2020). May their Souls rest in peace.
Covid 19 hates sociality. It took Kirunda Kivejinja away but decreed that he was sent off unceremoniously. Let humanity always remember his contributions to making life better in Uganda and let all his sins be forgiven by God. As the Bible says we have all fallen short of the Glory of God. We should not condemn those who commit sins against humanity. We should pray for them so that God can make them different and make use of them in different ways like he did with Saul who became Paul.
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-- The man who prided in calling himself the Encyclopedia of Busoga, Ali K. Kirunda Kivejinja. And yes he was. By the time he passed on late last year -a political giant fallen to Covid 19 -he was one of the only few surviving beings who had a broad knowledge of Busoga. He was also the pillar of NRM/A in Busoga. He had closely engaged himself with Towering Tibuhaburwa in the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) rebel activities in Busoga during the reign of Uganda's only Field Marshal and President for Life so far, Idi Amin Dada. During his sojourn in the Bushes of Luwero, we lost some important people, Kasadha and Mbigiti, whom he had recruited for FRONASA, and were eliminated by Amin by firing squad.
During his long political manifestation as a pillar of NRM in Busoga and on and off as Minister in President Museveni's Government, I interacted with him only twice. Possibly I missed a lot tapping off the Encyclopedia. However, my own dad, who was a little older than him and had started his political career long before Kivejinja did, in the days of the Uganda National Congress, and long before Milton Obote did in Uganda (remember Obote started his political career with the Kenya African National Union, KANU) had taught me a lot about Busoga and used to move with me quite a number of times when he was Speaker of Busoga Lukiiko, exposing me to many political heavyweights in the area those day, including the two Kyabazingas -first Henry Wako Muloki and then Kadhumbula Gabula Budiope. It would not be far-fetched if I said that the fallen Encyclopedia was far more known in Kampala than Busoga.
The first time was when he and I were invited to address the same audience in Iganga District, by then including all the cluster of Directs existing today except Jinja, Kaliro, Kamuli and Buyende. That was in the early 1990s. Iowa's a lecturer at Makerere University and he was some important person at the NRM Secretariat. We went separately, addressed the audience together but with divergent outputs, and then we travelled back to Kampala together in his car. We talked about a range of issues, agreed on some and disagreed on others. By the time he dropped me at my Ssemakokiro residence at Makerere University it was clear that we disagreed more that we agreed on the capacity of NRM/A to make Uganda different from what it was before in terms of democracy, respect for human rights, economy, justice, extrajudicial justice. He must have died a very disappointed man because what he struggle to eliminate was still persistent and gaining in momentum. However, despite our obvious divergence in opinion, he invited me to call on him in his Office at the NRM Secretariat. I regret to reveal that I had not honoured the invitation by the time he passed on.
The second time I interacted with Ali Kirunda Kivejinja at close range was in May 2019, during a graduation function organised by my late brother, Moses Wasedde Mwavu, a former official with the Electoral Commission, for his 5 who had obtained different degrees in different fields, including Medicine and policy planning at Bugonza, Nawaka, in Ikumbya Subcounty of Luuka District. Of course I would have interacted with him more if I was attending the regular Mwiri Old Boys Association (MOBA). Nevertheless, this was a critical encounter with the political heavyweight. He was the Chief mourner. He interacted well with everyone and remembered to mention that he and my dad were good friends for a long time despite having divergent political beliefs. He narrated the political history of Uganda, which he articulated well in his book, "Uganda:the Crisis of Confidence" published in 1995 by Progressive Publishing House, Kampala. Little did all of us did we know that soon we would not see Moses Wasedde Mwavu and Kirunda Kivejinja again. Moses Wasedde Mwavu passed on around 20.December and was buried at his home in Bugonza, Nawaka, on 22 December 2019. Kirunda Kivejinja died in the same month a year later (2020). May their Souls rest in peace.
Covid 19 hates sociality. It took Kirunda Kivejinja away but decreed that he was sent off unceremoniously. Let humanity always remember his contributions to making life better in Uganda and let all his sins be forgiven by God. As the Bible says we have all fallen short of the Glory of God. We should not condemn those who commit sins against humanity. We should pray for them so that God can make them different and make use of them in different ways like he did with Saul who became Paul.
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Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)
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