apagefrommunakusbook

Ngugi wa Thiong’o  is considered to be East Africa’s leading novelist. 

By sheer coincidence, he is a graduate of Makerere University College of the early 60s and has been writing since then.

His first novel: Weep Not Child was published in May 1964 !

Like in any other industry, writers grow over time; maturing to become society’s influencers and catalysts of change.

A book or a short story that a writer writes and publishes at a particular moment in time, reflects the overall maturity of that person and how he/she interprets society at that moment. One good reason to keep writing.

As Ngugi wa Thiong’o clearly puts it in these quotations:

“Write write write again , and you will get it right.’’ In short: write and write makes it right.

“All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been; it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books.’’

Writing is a skill that requires a tremendous amount of practice to become the best of the best.

 The writer Malcom Gladwell popularised the 10,000-hour rule of guided practice for anyone to become a master of a skill. 

I have been running a personal blog since 2016; to hone my writing skills, to build up a readership base and to connect with writers. I use my wealth of knowledge, skills and experiences to impact readers in my small way. Getting feedbacks from writing groups and readers has helped me tremendously to grow as a writer.

I attend writing workshops and conferences in my quest to become a master. Last week I attended a three days’ international conference to celebrate Abdulrazak Gurnah as the first East African writer to win the Nobel Literature Prize (2021).  It was organised by the Uganda Women Writers’ Association- FEMRITE, founded in 1995.

I consistently take part in writing competitions like the Commonwealth short story competition. It pushes me to write to a wider, diversified audience. It takes me out of my comfort zone.

I am a member of several Online writing cartels like The Write Practice, Yours2 Read and Two Drops of Ink. It has enabled me to connect with other writers worldwide.

I write short stories in between larger projects. It has helped me develop my own style.  Writing Short stories forces me to focus on writing clearly and consistently.  I am becoming a better writer. Writing has now become a practice to me. 

Flipping the coin, any writer who wants to acquire literary excellence has to become an avid reader.

 I consider consistent reading and writing as inseparable Siamese twins.

I read books by different authors and of different genres.

Reading expands my vocabulary and imagination widely. The more I read, the easier it becomes for me to create believable characters, to edit my writing pieces and enhance them. It also encourages me to take more risks in writing.

I gain valuable knowledge from each book I read and this is how I was turned into a global citizen long before the invention of the Internet.              

The more I read, the more remarkable I write.

I regularly read medical journals to keep abreast with new advances in medicine and science.

This is what I have been reading lately:

Protection, Patronage , or Plunder? British Machinations and (B)uganda’s Struggle for Independence by Apollo N. Makubuya

This is a huge book but very essential book that dissects the history of Uganda as a British protectorate for sixty-eight years and beyond. I chose to read it slowly and it took me three months to complete but it was worth the time and effort. What makes it unique is that the writer, a lawyer by profession, had access to declassified records that had been kept under lock and key in UK for over fifty years. Close to  our independence in 1962, many historical documents were shredded and burned at the Lugazi Sugar works and others were  packed in crates and damped  at sea to sanitize the colonial abuses.  The safe files were then shipped to UK and kept at a high secret building used by the national security organisations: M15 and M16.

Makubuya has ably used these recently declassified documents as he chronicles the events of the 68 years. Starting from the coming of the first Europeans: Speke and Grant who came looking for the source of the river Nile in 1862. Followed by the Europeans’ Scramble for Africa in early 1885, that created new boundaries which divided ethnicities with no attention to their rich cultural and social bonds. The scramble contributed to the civil conflicts which have lasted up to today. The British wanted to gain control of Uganda mainly to control the source of the river Nile, the lifeblood of Egypt which the British occupied in 1882. They expanded their influence in East Africa and elsewhere to acquire raw materials that could be exploited to fuel the industrial revolution. After colonisation, they concentrated on spreading Christianity, finding new wealth and new trade routes and consolidating their power.

By late 40s, the bataka/clan heads in Buganda had started agitating for control of their land and by 1952 Buganda kingdom, driven by its fear of being included in an East African federation before the clarification of its position in a united Uganda, stood up against the colonial Governor.  This culminated in the first exile of King Edward Mutesa 11.

By 1955, the cost of maintaining the empire had become enormous and draining on a Britain that was  recovering from the effects of the World War 11. From 1955-1975, a period that came to symbolise the Wind of Change, Britain was forced to let go of the colonies and territories one by one. In the process, the administrators of the Uganda Protectorate hastily put together a group of small states into one Uganda with hardly any negotiations, terms or agreements. 

At Independence, the first Prime Minister:  Apollo Milton Obote, took over a country loosely held together.

Four years later, the fight for power and control had begun and since then Uganda has been a troubled country. There was a military coup in 1971, a liberation war in 1979, a military coup in July 1985 and a  military takeover in January 1986. Uganda has had nine heads of state in the 61 years of Independence.

I have lived through all these post-independence reigns of terror and wars. Our generation considers itself as the Troubled one.

Reading this well researched and thoroughly written history book has helped me understand Uganda’s past clearly. I was able to understand and question some of the decisions taken by those in authority then- the colonial administrators, the collaborating chiefs and the self-interested elites. It is a must-read for all Ugandans from an early age. All aspiring politicians must read it. Understanding our past will free us of it and calls for every well-meaning Ugandan to be responsible, to look at opportunities of using our past to negotiate for a future that embraces us all. We need to do things differently including solving the long standing issues of the Buganda question, land distribution and the effective decentralisation of power.

I cannot wait to read Makubuya’s next big book: THRONES & THORNS.

Kizza Besigye And Uganda’s Unfinished Revolution by Daniel K. Kalinaki

It is about the revolution that was triggered by the need to transform Uganda’s old political order that had enabled the rigging of the 1980 general elections. The Luwero-based guerrilla fighters led by Yoweri Museveni had good intentions of finding a most stable, inclusive political system for Uganda. It was a five year protracted guerrilla war that ended with their defeat of the old order on the 25^th January 1986. The fighters promised us a fundamental change in the political, economic and social areas.

Since then, the population has seen some good transformation of the political and economic systems. There have been some bad ones as well; the initial four years in power has been extended indefinitely by the removal of the presidential term limits and age limits. This has created a big gap between the people’s expectations and satisfaction. By the end of 2000, Kizza Besigye was forced by the prevailing circumstances to step up and take action. He offered himself as a presidential candidate, opening up opposition within the originals of the revolution.

The revolution has continued to evolve but from 2001, it has pitted President Yoweri Museveni against Kizza Besigye for the presidency as the government became less democratic, less effective in dealing with and managing society’s concerns and wellbeing.

Some of the original fighters interpreted Besigye’s daring move as “jumping the queue’’ of succession. From 2001 to the general election of 2011, the two fighters hotly contested against each other as Presidential candidates. On each occasion, Besigye and his loyal followers believed that the outcome was a result of the captured systems by an individual. Besigye petitioned the election results of each season in the Supreme court on the basis of rigging, the electoral processing not being free and fair and the violence unleashed on the opposition. The presiding judges agreed on the compromises and malpractices of the electoral process but by a simple majority, they did not consider the flaws big enough to warrant nullifying the results. Having failed to change the government through the vote , Besigye turned to weakening it by  leading  a campaign of defiance and resistance.  The combined power of the military and the Presidency would do whatever it took to contain Besigye.

The country is surely sliding back into inequality and impoverishment. Corruption has become ingrained in all systems and the political patronage has silenced many. Graft has eaten away services and the social fabric.

Sustaining the revolution is becoming increasingly difficult as solutions to the greatest challenges faced by the ordinary people like unemployment, poor education, poor health care services, poor housing and sanitation, poor transport systems and adding value to the majority of the people through economic prosperity and wellbeing is more talk than action.

This is why Besigye as one of the original fighters and among the architects of the Movement’s  Ten-Point Political Programme, categorically states that Uganda’s revolution is far from complete.

Kalinaki as an accomplished journalist of the time, did a remarkable job in piecing the story of the revolution and of the two protagonists together. Intellectually stimulating, easy to understand and follow.

Reading Kizza Besigye’s story soon after reading Makubuya’s Protection, Patronage or Plunder,

was a sheer coincidence but it ended up being very beneficial to me. Each book boosts the credibility of the other. In the last chapter of Makubuya’s book he suggests ways of how after understanding our checkered past, turbulent history and being liberated from it, we must all take the responsibility to look out for opportunities and new possibilities to negotiate for our collective future.

Similarly, in the epilogue of Besigye’s book, after going through a litany of arrests, torture, humiliation and defeats while fighting to oppose the system headed by the incumbent President, he clearly points it out that: Uganda’s revolution that begun in 1981, is far from complete.

He knows for sure that this revolution will never progress to completion until pivotal reforms in politics and governance are put in place by all well- meaning Ugandans led by the opposition or movement or both. Readers are left with the responsibility of doing something different for their country.

Failing to do this, like the Medusa head of Greek mythology, our past will keep raising its ugly head into the present; essentially leaving us in the past and influencing our future. 

Robert Heinlein rightly said: A generation which ignores history has no past and no future

QUESTION:

What do you have to say about this quote in relation to our prevailing circumstances?

We have all had them in our midst- all round students who seem to excel at everything they choose to do.

According to the literature review by UNESCO about gifted children, gifted children is a broad definition that includes intellectual, academic and artistic prowess. Each child is unique in talent and ability but when addressing giftedness, a holistic approach to intelligence, academia and creativity has to be taken. 

The ancient Greeks believed that wisdom and intelligence were important in society in that gifted people could use their intelligence and wisdom to impact the world. A few such people dared to  challenge  existing systems. In Greek mythology; the story of Arachne (Greek name for a spider) which has several versions; in one version, this exceptional weaver dared to compete with Athena, the goddess of wisdom, war and handcraft and herself a weaver. Arachne won the contest, enraging and offending goddess Athena so much that she transformed Arachne into a spider to remain a weaver for all her life!

Reading around gifted children I came across three websites among them https://www. davidsongifted.org run by the Davidson Institute of University Nevada, Reno campus.

 The Institute has been in existence since 1999 and its main goal is to identify, nurture, accelerate and support gifted children in USA to reach their highest potential.

Among the common traits of gifted children: 

• They have the ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers.
• They have surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age
• A strong sense of curiosity
• Absorb information quickly and can find simple patterns in complex information; connecting seemingly unrelated aspects.
• Are enthusiastic about unique interests and topics.
• Creative problem solving and imaginative expression
• Have a mature sense of humour,
• Socially aware, aware of global issues.

Gifted children tend to be overlooked in traditional classrooms but the Davidson institute works to identify them early in life and place them in a supportive environment to develop academically, emotionally and socially to their highest potential.

The Intelligence quotient (IQ) is used to measure a person’s reasoning ability or mental aptitude compared to a group their peers. It tests one’s ability to use information and logic to answer questions or make predictions. There are about 9 reliable, standard IQ tests but the most

 widely used are: the Wechesler Adult Intelligence Scale which takes 60-75 minutes to complete

 and the Stanford- Binet intelligence scale designed by Alfred Binet in the 1900s,the father of IQ tests.

Only those tests administered by a trained psychologist can provide reliable results.

Most people score between 70-130

110-119- above average

120-140- Gifted

Over 140- geniuses or profoundly gifted.

80-90- below average

Under 70- definite feeble-minded.

Terence Tao, a Chinese –American mathematician, is currently said to have the highest IQ score in the world, between 225-230!

Some gifted children have high intelligence test scores, others have high levels of creativity while others have the ability to focus on a task and a few have a combination of these three.

The last time I visited my grandchild at her international school, to celebrate Grandparents day, she was withdrawn- far removed from the enthusiastic, spontaneous and talkative girl I know at home. I could not put a finger on the cause of her despondency but I alerted the mother. Time has proved my fears right. She has just been promoted to a new class and has a new class teacher. She keeps telling her mother that she misses her previous teacher. She added that they are not learning new things and she was getting bored. She is no longer enthusiastic about going to school in the mornings.

She has always learned things fast, has a strong sense of curiosity- always asking “why’’ and “is that all?’’

She has an enviable memory. She enjoys being read to and working on puzzles but still wants to help in the kitchen. Most likely the new teacher is not bringing out the best out of her and the class work may not be challenging enough to her brain.

This reminded me of the characteristics of gifted children and the need for the education system to pick them and come out with programmes that stimulate higher education achievement and accelerate their progress. Otherwise they are suffocated early in childhood.

My country, Uganda, is among the least developed countries in the world and like all African countries, its education system focuses on equity and raising achievement among low performing pupils. Learning to read and write and do simple maths is the basic requirement for any child to navigate today’s increasingly globalised and competitive world.

A few countries in the world like Singapore, India, Hong Kong and Norway have come up with targeted education programmes to offer a conducive environment that raise the performance of gifted and talented children. The children go through the curriculum faster and explore the subjects in greater depths. Such programmes group the gifted children together, maximise the potential of the highest-attaining students, target their specific needs to increase their potential. When grouped together, they learn more from each other and even compete further.

 Proverb 27:17 says : People learn from one another , just as iron sharpens iron. 

Surprisingly, some innovative teachers in Kings College Buddo, the most prestigious co-educational school in Uganda then, recognised that they had a number of gifted boys and girls in their school. Since Uganda had no Education policy about such students, the teachers came up with their own programme mainly to offer a challenging curriculum to these high- attaining students.

 The top students in the first term of senior one were selected to participate in this Express programme as it was known by then. They were grouped together and started on a challenging curriculum that compressed the conventional secondary curriculum of four years into three years. They were also encouraged to join extracurricular activities like sports and music. True to form, these young students delivered; each passing on average five of the eight subjects taken by each student with distinctions (score of 75 and above). They went on to study for A-levels in the same school. They continued to perform brilliantly and many of them joined the then only national university, Makerere, for Medicine and agriculture and some joined the university of Nairobi for engineering, veterinary medicine, a few were awarded scholarships to study other professions like chemical engineering and dentistry that were not offered in other African universities of the time. The Express programme was started in 1965 when Ian Robinson was the headmaster of Kings College Buddo. It stopped in 1971 when Amin Dada, the then President of Uganda, expelled Asians from Uganda. Many expatriate staff in schools, vocational colleges and university left en masse between August 1971 and 1972.

By the time I joined the then only medical school in Uganda, in July 1972, I had the privilege to study with more than six of these gifted students from Buddo. They were younger than us who had gone through the conventional four years of secondary education. They were down- to – earth students, highly curious , questioning everything and had a sense of humour. They read voraciously and they  brought a lot of depth to the topics of anatomy, physiology, local and global politics that we discussed at the cadaver tables and in the students common room. They always wanted to understand the big picture while holding themselves and all of us to high standards. 

They pushed many of us to do more and become better students. It was a healthy competitive environment. They also learned something from us. The learning environment was tense due to the brutality and violence of Amin’s regime but we formed strong bonds and looked out for each other. Due to the civil strife, many of us left Uganda after internship in search of a conducive environment for career growth and development and both social and economic well-being.  

As I write now, one of them is a clinical pharmacologist in Townsville, Australia, another is a paediatrician/neonatologist in Toronto, Canada, another recently retired after working with the giant Pfizer pharmaceutical company for some decades, another one has been working as a surgeon in the Critical Care speciality at the Lincoln hospital, New York City and another has been practicing as a gynaecologist in South Africa since the days of Apartheid. He had incredible courage and determination to repeat his postgraduate degree from Makerere which was by then not recognised in South Africa!

 Only last week, we buried here in Uganda, a world renowned cardiac specialist who was based in Sydney, Australia for over three decades.

In my school, a prestigious girls school which was predominantly run by young women from the Church Missionary Society of Britain, only one student was allowed to cover four years of secondary education in three years. She was a profoundly gifted student who needed to be occupied with a challenging curriculum.  The headmistress had wanted a few of us who used to finish our assignments early and ended up being idle and naughty, to be considered for the three years’ programme. She was overruled by the majority of the teachers.

 The children of the digital technology- driven 21st century have a lot of stimulation around them in the form of computer tablets, smart phones and TVs. They learn faster by reading, watching and listening to audio clips. They are forced to think fast and do more for themselves as long as this global access to knowledge is not abused.

As for my fast – learning grandchild, the parents and her teachers have to work out a programme that keeps her engaged, encourages her to explore more, be creative and answers her many ‘’Why’’ questions. It may require a change of schools.

“All great men and women are gifted with intuition. They know without reasoning or analysis what they need to know.’’ – Alexis Carrel

QUESTION:

How are you daring to be “you’’ by breaking the conventional ways of doing things?

Growing old is a privilege that is not enjoyed by everyone. Having said that, the number of elderly people in the world even in communities of the least developed countries like mine, has continued to rise for decades. World Health Organisation statistics show that in 2022 there were 771 million people aged 65 years and above globally, accounting for almost 10% of the world’s population. This segment of the population is expected to rise to 16 % in 2050. 

 United Nations defines an elderly person as anyone who is over 60 years of age. WHO regional office for Africa set 50 years as being old age in the Sub- Saharan Africa.

 Advances in science and medicine have allowed many people to live longer. As people are living longer, their wellbeing and dignity has to be ensured. As we grow older, we suffer decline in our physical and mental capacities and this results in challenges and opportunities. There is an increased demand for primary health care and long term care.

United Nations declared 2021 -2030 as the decade of healthy aging mainly to bring everyone on board : governments, international agencies, professionals, private sectors and communities to improve the lives of older people , their families and communities. Healthy longevity.

The elderly have to live in dignity and security and be free of exploitation and physical or mental abuse. They should be treated fairly regardless of age. They contributed to the development and growth of their communities and countries during the active part of their lives.

The 5 most crucial rights of the elderly as par the UN guidelines include:

• The right to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms                              
• The right for care                     
•   The right for self-fulfilment                                
•    The right for Dignity – full respect for their beliefs, needs and privacy
• The right to make decisions about their care and the quality of their lives                    

Due to improvement in health care and hygiene, universal education, improvements in the environment, sufficient food, healthier lifestyles and better economic development, Uganda’s life expectancy has continued to rise from the 50s to date. It has risen from  an average of 49.16 years  in 1971 to the current 62.9 years for males and 67.2 in females according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics population projections Reports of 2015-2050.

 The HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 80s and 90s had lowered it to 45.72 in 1991, wiping out the gains that had been made since independence.

 The 2 year long COVID-19 pandemic killed more people aged 60 and above due to chronic underlying conditions like diabetes, hypertension and cancers.

Since December 1990, 1st October has been celebrated as the UN’s International Day of Older Persons to recognise the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives.  The theme varies from year to year.

The theme for 2023 was : Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons : Across Generations.

As early as the 2nd September 2023, my four years old grandchild had invited me to join her celebrate the day of grandparents at her preschool, Inyana International School in Kiwafu, Kansanga. With her reassuringly innocent smile she had indicated that I had to be there on that day. The official invitation from the school came later.

On the Friday, 29^th September 2023, I dropped everything to be at Inyana school by 10am. I was simply dressed in an olive-green dress, light green jacket and pair of low-heeled beige shoes.

Amazingly, Nanziri’s paternal grandmother had beaten me to it!

We were warmly received by our grandchildren who looked very much alike in their red T-Shirts over black trousers and black shoes. The teachers were also in red and black.

The grandparents were of all ages and sizes; some were dressed in the colourful African prints, traditional busuti but majority were elegant and vibrant in the modern dresses and suits without neck ties. There were two couples from the Far East.

 There were two young couples of my daughter’s age. Later I learned that the grandparents lived far away from Kampala so the parents had chosen to stand in for them. It worked wonders for their children.

The grandchildren sang songs for us then accompanied us to their different classes to look at their books and creative pictures on the walls. Each guest was given a card put together by the grandchild.

Under the eyes of her teacher, Nanziri was not as spontaneous as she usually is at home.

It drizzled and we sought shelter in those small classes. We squeezed ourselves on

 the tiny chairs and desks! It all seemed so long ago since I last sat on such  a small – sized chair!

“Something magical happens when parents turn into grandparents.’’– Paul Linden

The school arranged for each student to take three photographs with each of  her/his grandparents. These were later sent to us on the parents’ phones.

I remembered I had a few photos of my classmates in Junior school and senior school. Some were taken during the school plays that we used to perform at the end of each year. Over the years I have come to treasure them immensely.

By the time we left at 12:30,  a few of the youngest grandchildren were crying for their grandparents and were being calmed down by the class teachers. Nanziri had joined the boys racing big trucks on the floor.

I left the school happy and content for the attention we had been accorded. I was also hopeful for the future as it dawned on me that a part of my history would no doubt form a part of Nanziri’s future.

For over 35 years we had been putting others first: spouses, children but at least for now someone was putting us first. 

Back home, something kept nagging me: in the forty visitors at the school the majority of us were women. Not more than three couples had come in as grandfather and grandmother.

What I had noted was not an exception; globally, females tend to outlive the males.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Population Projections Reports 2015-2050,

those aged 60 and above make up about 3.7% of the population and the majority of these are female.

The few times I have accompanied my mother to collect her monthly Elderly allowance of 25 thousand UGX (6.67 US dollars), a privilege only for those aged 80 and above. They make up 0.4% of the population :81,600 males and 122,400 females.

By simple observation, the majority of these are females even in our communities. This is how it has been since I was growing up in the 60s.

Countries with highest life expectancy at birth in Africa are:

Algeria 77 years, Tunisia 76, Egypt 70 and Senegal 69 compared to Japan’s 84.

Japan is a country with the world’s lowest birth rate(1.26 in 2022) translating in only 771,000 births,  and the highest number of older people: 29.1 % are aged 65 and above. 1 in 10 people in Japan is aged 80 or older. The working –age population pay more to support the elderly- costs of health and retirement programs.

Even in this oldest population, 51% are females while 48.7% are males.

Scientific studies have tried to explain the gender difference in life expectancy.

At birth, generally there are slightly more male births than female births- about 105 boys for 100 males. For unknown reasons, the “Y”- chromosome bearing sperm is more likely to fertilise the female egg than the “X’’- chromosome bearing sperm.

 The female species has two “ X’’ chromosomes compared to the males one who has “X’’ and “Y’’. The  extra X chromosome in the female acts as a genetic reserve when a genetic mutation occurs on one of the genes.

 The biological protective effect comes into play from puberty (10-14 in girls and 12-16 in boys).  The female species starts producing the female hormones the main one being Oestrogen and will continue until menopause 45-55 years. The male produces the male hormones the main one being testosterone.

 Researchers have shown that Oestrogen protects the women from premature heart disease-it lowers the “bad’’ cholesterol, LDL, in the blood which clogs the arteries and results in arterial stiffening. Clogged arteries cause reduced blood flow to the heart and brain causing heart disease and stroke.

On reaching menopause, the ovaries stop producing the female hormones; the oestrogen deficiency causes the risk of cardiovascular disease to increase in women.  The women gradually catch up with the males.

3. The social factors affecting longevity.

In most communities, men tend to take up the most dangerous jobs like construction, truck driving, logging, mining, fishing and working in the armed forces. Such jobs increase their risk of early deaths. Generally, men take more risks than the females making them more susceptible to life-threatening injuries.

Lifestyle plays a part, as men tend to smoke more than females and to abuse alcohol and drugs. This increases their risk for heart disease and cancer.

Women are the primary care providers – taking care of children , the sick and the elderly. They visit clinics and hospitals more often than men. They tend to build up information and awareness about diseases resulting in better health seeking behaviour than the men.

Men tend to visit health facilities late for chronic diseases or cancer.

Women tend to form strong social groups in their communities. They share stories and information and build each other up unlike males of their age groups.

 Sadly, in Uganda, 228 women die in labour or in pregnancy-related complications per 100,000 live births. However, education and economic empowerment is gradually helping women to control their fertility.

All the elderly in our communities should be treated with respect, dignity and be made to feel that they still matter. Celebrating them often offers them an opportunity to engage actively with the people around them. An inclusive community helps to foster a sense of belonging and acceptance- feeding into the mental and emotional wellbeing of each individual.

“ Nothing is a waste of time if you  use the experience wisely.’’- August Rodin

QUESTION : 

 How often do you take off time to listen actively, connect and share thoughts and experiences with those older than you or younger than you with the aim of fostering understanding between different generations and finding areas of common interest?

I wrote this post in 2019 about a great animal lover in Kampala, Uganda. Mrs. Adelina Lubogo is still going strong. She is celebrating her 90^th birthday today, 24^th August 2023.

I am wishing her a happy birthday and many more in future. I am reposting the same article in her honour and great respect.

Uganda has only one centre for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals – USPCA. It was founded in 1996 to promote animal welfare and support animals who cannot support themselves. It depends entirely on the generosity of the people. It is located in Mbuya , Kampala. It shelters more than 200 dogs, cats and puppies and kittens awaiting adoption. You can learn more about this organisation on their website uganda-spca.org.
In a country where the majority of the population are struggling for their own survival, adopting a pet is an unlikely option. However, there is one animal lover whom I have known since the 1960s. She is a teacher by the names of Adelina Lubogo. To her family and her catalogue of friends she is simply known as Aunt Lena.

For all the time I have known her, she has never had less than five dogs and two cats in her home! Recently I learned that things have remained the same in her home in the twenty two years I have been away in economic exile.
Maya Angelou said: “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
Jesus taught us that it is always more blessing to give than to receive.

I had not seen Aunt Lena since the beginning of the year so last month I made it a point to check on her. She came down to open the metallic gate for me and there- lo and behold! – She was followed by five dogs of different breeds, size and colour and a cat. After a giving me a bear’s hug, she led me into the house. Over fresh hibiscus juice and graviola(soursop) fruit juice ; all fruits from her garden behind the kitchen, we caught up on each other’s lives. Her only son left home for university decades ago and settled in USA so Aunt Lena lives with a helper. At 86 she is still vibrant and energetic and prepares everything herself that she serves to her visitors. She finally sat down to share the juices and sweet plantains chips with me while her family of dogs watched like eagles over us.

“Aunt Lena, I’m surprised that you only have these few,” I said, smiling.
She laughed, “They could be more but now age is catching up with me, I’m learning to restrain myself. I used to find it terribly hard to say no but slowly and surely, I’m getting there.”
“There must be a Snowy among these,”I said, reaching out for more chips.
“Yes, indeed. That white one with long hairs,” she said, pointing to it. Believe or not, each dog except Snowy has a long story behind her or him.”
We exchanged knowing smiles.
I poured myself more of the rare delicious, fresh graviola fruit juice and listened intently.

I’m starting with that Maltese poodle seated near the door to dare anyone coming in here.
A relative of mine brought it here almost three years ago. It was a small, unruly dog but it’s now one of the most well-behaved dogs that I ‘ve ever cared for. When the young man brought it here he had smiled and told me that he had something small for me. I had no idea about what he was talking about until he opened the spacious car boot. I peeped and saw a frightened small dog on a leash.

He had gone on to tell me that for two days he had passed by one trading centre and seen men throwing stones at the small dog. On the second day, he had stopped and asked those men why they were being unkind to the dog. They had told him that it was bothering them as it looked for food. They did not know its owner. He had driven to the nearest supermarket and bought a leash so that he could rescue the dog. He had driven straight here knowing very well that I would give the poodle a loving home. Since then it has become my best keeper and friend.

There is a black sausage dog(dachshund) that was given to me by my nephew’s eleven year-old daughter. Her dog had two puppies. She chose to keep one and bring the other one to me with a lot of love.That small black one is a recent acquisition. Three months ago I was in a queue at a supermarket talking to a friend. She was consoling me after I had lost one of my old faithfuls.

Three days later when I went back to pick some grocery items, the manager had appeared from behind and greeted me with a big smile.
“I understand you lost one of your dogs. If you don’t mind, I have a puppy for you.’’ He had disappeared behind the tills and came back with a puppy in a box. I was caught off guard but was happy to get a replacement.

This reminded me of what my other nephew, now a seasoned lawyer, had done in the early 1970s. Their neighbour had moved away but left his old cat behind. The cat made it a habit to go to their house to look for food. The mother would leave food and water for it on the veranda. The nephew had pleaded with his mother to adopt the cat. It proved difficult since the nephew suffered from bad Asthma.
“If we can’t keep it, then I know the right place for it. Let us take it to Aunt Lena,” the nephew had made the recommendation with a sense of warmth and pleasure.

Amazingly, that is how it has been to this day; my home has been a shelter for stray cats, rescued dogs and extra puppies. One time a Snowy had suckled two kittens picked from the neighbourhood. I took some good photos of this natural nurturing instinct unfortunately my camera was stolen at a party.This was long before the invention of the digital phone camera. I have many more stories to tell of my friends, it may take the whole day!”She concluded with a hearty laugh.

“What do you get out of this hands on care?” I asked.
“Ever since I can remember, caring for animals and gardening have given me a normal life outside work. I treat my pets as friends and they return love and loyalty to me.”

I felt privileged to know this amazing woman. She is loving, selfless and has a big heart. She has many caring friends, she spends one day in the week at the Centre for the Disabled teaching the children Art and bead work and she is a natural animal lover. No wonder she is still energetic and vibrant at her age.

Later at home, I read about the psychology behind loving animals and being concerned about people. It helped me understand Aunt Lena better. She must have been given so much love and care in her childhood that she learned to be kind to herself and then go out to love other people and animals.

Caring for people and animals is the highest expression of her compassion. With a deep well of love in her heart, she can give without maiming herself. She must have felt secure with her parents to develop her own identity and establish her own boundaries. She loves and accepts others without breaking her boundaries and losing her identity.

Talking to her, she indicated that she was more than willing to give and love until she breathed her last. She is an incredible woman!
Thank you, Aunt Lena, for teaching us to love and care for ourselves, other people and animals and to assert ourselves. We are the richer for knowing you.
The famous Anne Frank said: “No one has ever become poor by giving.’’
And Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Writing this post has got me thinking that if each one of us worked brilliantly at her/his small part that fits into the big picture, we would make the world a better place.

I am curious:
What are you doing in your community to make other people’s lives better or make them feel that they matter?
Are you an animal lover? Has this post stirred you into adopting a dog or cat or supporting the Uganda Society for The Protection and Care of Animals?

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The two years COVID-19 lockdown was unprecedented in the history of mankind.

It changed us and everything in our lives; from the way we care for others,  communicate, work at home and at the work place, the way worship at religious places, the way we educate our children, the way we buy things and much more. It forced us to learn how to focus on one day at a time.

At the same time, it left big scars on many of us.  We lost many loved ones to this new disease. We were unable to mourn for them and bury them as we traditionally do to get closure.

Among the loved ones I lost was my great friend : Dr. Sarah Namuli Mukasa Yiga, a mother of four and many others who needed mothering wherever she lived and worked.

We had known each other since our secondary school days in the 60s!

She had lived and worked in Apartheid South Africa and then later in the Rainbow Nation born in April 1994.

In the last twenty five years, we were neighbours as she worked in Bloemfontein (Free State province) South Africa while I worked in Botswana. Namuli and I were kindred spirits.

She died in an Intensive Care Unit in Bloemfontein on 12th January 2021, a funeral service was held three weeks later.

Due to the lockdown, I could not be there in person but virtual attendance was arranged for me by my niece, Gladys, through a VPN. General elections were held on the 14^th January 2021 and internet access was strictly limited in Uganda.

To numb my pain and heartache, I wrote a befitting tribute to Sarah and posted it on my blog : The lady with an Infectious Smile.

Time moved on. It is now two years and five months and the family feels comfortable enough to return Sarah’s ashes for burial on the 11 th of August 2023 at their ancestral burial grounds near Masaka city, 133 km  west of the capital city , Kampala.

This will give us the long awaited closure.

I shall not write another tribute but instead I have compiled some quotes and proverbs about genuine lasting friendship in honour of Sarah ‘s memory.

Truly close friendship does not just happen; the two people involved have to make an emotional and time investment in it.

My late father had several treasured friends for whom he would drop anything to help and they would do the same. Some of them knew him more than he knew himself and could second guess him.

We considered them as relatives until much later in life! Thankfully, this is one trait all of us, his children have inherited from him.

Similarly, Sarah ‘s children always took me as a relative.

For her family had become mine and my own had become hers. I am richly blessed to have a number of such true friends. They bring so much happiness, stability and understanding into my life. Their hearts serve as a deep well of love which I can always draw from as long as I replenish it.

It takes years to create such true friendship. As you get to know each other more, each one opens up to share dreams, hopes and fears and then support each other through it all. As you get to understand each other you build trust and loyalty for one another.

They are all weather friends – sticking around during tough times. They challenge and inspire you to become the best of you

“It’s the friends you call at 4a.m that matter.”- Marlene Dietrich

A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you just the way you are.” – Unknown

Psychologists advise us on what to look out for as you identify your real friends.

• Good friends accept you for who you are- strengths and flaws
• Stick around during the good and bad times.
• A real friend celebrates life with you- small and big achievements
• A true friend makes time to see you
• A true friend encourages you to achieve your goals
• A true friend empowers you to be you, does not maim you.

The highest form of friendship is built on mutual recognition of one another’s virtues.

The psychologists also have outlined the forces that form and sustain a friendship.

They include:

Accumulation- over time you open up to each other, listen to each other getting deeply connected as you share moments, celebrate and mourn losses.

Pay attention- to the people around you to find good friends among them.

Be Intentional- put yourself out there and find good friends, make yourself humble and vulnerable. Look for friends of all ages.

Rituals- find routines to cement the friendship, like organising book clubs, dinner or tea parties,

In this digital era, group chats warm up friendships.

You can attend weddings, funerals, children parties together and celebrate important milestones together. This keeps cherished moments etched in our brains.

Imagination-  stretch your imagination to keep your friendship alive despite the demands of family, marriage and career. Sarah and I arranged to go for a two-week pilgrimage to Israel in 2011. It turned out to be an unforgettable experience. We were talking of a ship cruise together in the future.

Reconnect- Whether it has taken decades or weeks without meeting in person, have the grace to reconnect and catch up on each other’s life. Reunions with old friends always fills up the gaps.

Video calls, Zoom meetings are doing an incredible job in keeping friends close and connected.  I for one feel that nothing beats a physical presence – offering verbal and body language communication.

Some African proverbs about true friendship:

Show me your best friend and I will show you

 your character.

Akatono Okalya nemunno: The little food you have is most delicious if shared with a friend.

Honest friendship does not destroy true friendship.

In good times friends know you, in bad times you know them.

The friends of our friends are our friends.

There is no better mirror than a best friend.

Hold a true friend with both hands.

Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you.

If you choose to make friendship with a pig, you must be prepared roll in the mud.

To be without a friend is to be poor, indeed.

Bad friends will prevent you from having good friends.

Teeth are all friends among each other.

Between true friends, even water drunk together is sweet enough.

Some quotes about True Friendship.

“Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And is your board and your fireside.”- Kahlil Gibran

Friendship is not a big thing – it’s a million little things.”- Paulo Coelho

“ As I string my pearl necklace of friends, a smooth, round white pearl is a rare find. Whoever finds it, is made happy for life.’’- Jane Nannono    

A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.”- Downer Roberts.

Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” – Unknown

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasure. For in the dew of little things, does the heart find its morning and is refreshed.”- Kahlil Gibran

A sweet friendship refreshes the soul. – Proverb 27: 9

True friends are always together in in spirit.”- L.M Montgomery

The best gift anyone can give, I believe, is the gift of sharing themselves.”- Oprah Winfrey

Try and be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Maya Angelou

Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.’’- Kahlil Gibran

Friendship is always sweet responsibility , never an opportunity.’’ – Kahlil Gibran

I belong to the people I love and they belong to me- they, and the love and loyalty I give them , form my identity far more than any word or group ever could.’’– Veronica Roth

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.’’- Martin Luther King, Jr

 Sarah Namuli you are greatly missed every single day but we are comforted in knowing that you are one guardian angel whom we know by name.

RIP

QUESTION:

Are there occasions in your life when a friend who is far away seems nearer than the one at hand?

 My grandfather settled in a small village called Lungujja a few kilometres from the Kabaka’s palace in Mengo. It was not far from Old Kampala hill, where Captain Fredrick Lugard of the Imperial British East India Company , the architect of the Uganda Protectorate, built his base in 1891.My father walked barefoot from this place to Mengo Primary school, the first church missionary school in Uganda.By the time I was born in the early 50s, the small village had grown and was home to Michael Kawalya  N.Kaggwa , a former Katikkiro/prime minister ( 1945-1950) of the Buganda kingdom.

In the 60s, this parish was home to Abubaker K.  Mayanja, among the first Ugandans to be educated at Cambridge University. A lawyer, freedom fighter and a political giant till his death in 2005. His neighbours included Ephraim Kamanyi , a Minister of Education for the Buganda Kingdom and lady Kate Sarah, mother of the two daughters of Sir Edward Mutesa, the 35th Kabaka of Buganda and first President of Uganda.Roger Mukasa, chairman of the prestigious Uganda Coffee Marketing Board, Timothy Lwanga, the tough and professional head of the then Buganda Police, Magistrate Kyobe whose family suffered the loss of two male relatives in February 1981 when the bush war against Milton Obote was launched . Only to find out later that it was a case of “mistaken’’ identity. Not surprising at all because Prof Yusuf Lule’s home was a stone’s throw from his home.  At the end of May 1966, Dan Kamanyi risked his life after the Uganda army’s attack on the Kabaka’s palace, to drive Sir Edward Mutesa to safety as far as the Burundi border.Hope Mukasa, a renowned singer of the 70s and 80s was born and raised in this village as well as the talented national footballer, Ashe Mukasa.

My father was an administrator who became the Katikkiro of Buganda ( 1950-1955) later went on to become the second  indigenous Mayor of Kampala city and a chairman of many voluntary organisations like Uganda Red Cross Society, Young Men’s Christian Association, YWCA, Uganda Boys Scouts, The Bible Society of Uganda, Lions Club, and Uganda Civil Society.Everyone knew each other and every child belonged to the whole village. For many years, my father had the only telephone in the village and allowed the members of the community to use it for emergencies for free. Emergencies ranged from calling back a father from the office to return home and take a sick child to the hospital to calling the fire brigade to kill a python. I do not remember any house break in during my whole childhood!

“Every person is defined by the communities she belongs to.’’ – Orson Scott Card

 During the 70s , Kintu Musoke , a politician and a journalist joined the village. He went on to become the Prime Minister of Uganda from 1994 to 1999.        Other new comers included  Rev. Canon Sentongo, by then the Secretary of Makerere University . His wife, a nutritionist, taught at Lubiri Secondary school and baked the most delicious fruity wedding cakes in Kampala! Fred A. Mpanga , a former Attorney general of the Buganda Kingdom and married to Joyce Mpanga who later became the first Minister of the Ministry of Women in Development and later State minister for primary education( 1989-1992) settled in.

 The only outsider was someone from Busoga,  near our home. He worked with one of the corporations in Kampala.Yusuf Kironde Lule, a professor and civil servant , the first indigenous Principal of Makerere College, joined the village. He became a freedom fighter during the authoritarian rule of Obote. In April 1979 , he was sworn in as 4th President of Uganda.Prof. Eric Paul Kibuka a social scientist came in and later became the head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Makerere Univesity. As an immediate neighbour to us, he became a close confidant of my father.Lawyer Edward Sekandi who later went on to become the Speaker of Parliament (2001-2011) and the Vice President of Uganda May 2011 to June 2021.Business man Jim Kiggundu of the Kibanda boys, Prof Paul Sagala of the faculty of Engineering, Makerere University and Senior Police officer Mukiibi joined our community.

 During the 90s, Prof Peter H. Sebuwufu, an exceptional professor of anatomy of Makerere University, settled in the village. He later became a politician and served as a Minister of health. Currently, he is considered among the giants of Medicine in Uganda. Professor Fred Kigozi, a global and national giant in Psychiatry, for a long time the Director of Uganda’s only Psychiatric teaching and Referral hospital, Butabika,( 1992-2008). He was instrumental in revamping the mental health services of Uganda. Sadly, he and his wife died a few weeks between each other just before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.All these people and their wives used to visit our home on many occasions and their children became our friends.A few other notables settled in the village in the 2000s.

 Lungujja has grown, expanded and developed a unique personality- active but peaceful. No slums yet.It constantly reminds me that places are made by people- their culture, attitudes and values and social organisation. All the years I was way, I would go home and make a village round. The welcome and love shown to me long after my father’s death, would recharge my emotional battery until my next visit!

“When you have a solid upbringing and a strong sense of place, that sustains you. My sense of home never leaves me.’’- Lyle Lovett

All these families had benefitted from the good education of their parents so they have continued to educate the grand children of the village.In my family we have had a journalist, a Police officer, lawyers, a nurse, a social worker, a medical doctor, a pilot, a caterer and an IT officer. Our own children have pushed it to a higher level. They include engineers, lawyers, a journalist, a financial expert, Real Estate managers, an Insurance consultant, a diplomat and a medical doctor. Conspicuously missing is an active politician!

 “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ’’- Nelson Mandela 

The period 1981- 1986 was previously Uganda’s worst time of uncertainty, powerlessness- politically, socially and economically.Lungujja being a village of conservative Baganda, close to the Lubiri, naturally became an ideal hotbed for organised resistance to the authoritarian government of Obote 2. It became a more tight-knit community during the insurgency. Residents looked out for one anotherProf Yusuf Lule and his group of freedom fighters joined the Popular Resistance Army of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to form the National Resistance Army(NRA) that liberated Uganda on 26th January1986. After a six -year and costly bush war in the Luwero Triangle.My father by then in his early 80s joined the struggle and persuaded many other Baganda families to support it by encouraging their sons to join the NRA. Due to the tension in the village, my pre- wedding  party could not be held at our home in February 1981. Always leading by example, my father persuaded one of my brothers, Henry Arthur to join the war. Sadly, he was killed in May 1985 , aged 32 and his body was never found. Though survived by some children, my parents carried their pain to the grave! The consolation for such determined Baganda families came in the form of: the coronation of Ronald Muwenda Mutebi as 36th Kabaka of Buganda on 31 July 1993! 

Due to Uganda ‘s long history of civil strife, most of my siblings have been away for decades and our house had fallen into ruins yet it has been a landmark of the village. Taxis  and buses driving through the village related to where you  had to disembark before or after our home.We have been renovating the house since last February.It has been heart-warming to see all those we have known since childhood come out to congratulate us on taking on the huge task. Flooded with great joy as if it were their home. That is how closely connected the people of this community have been. They love their village and its people.Many stop by just to talk , thank us and encourage us to finish the work. Among them were the Kabalis, the Kamanyis, Honourable  Sekandi and  the Rev. Canon Buwembo of Nateete Martyrs church where our father was buried.

There is no pomp or ceremony, we just talk as friends and members of a community with a strong sense of place, connected to a village which we consider important to us. 

“Every successful individual knows that his or her achievements depend on the community of persons working together. ‘’ – Paul Ryan

My father loved his village and used his power in all the positions he held to develop it.He loved the people of the village and they admired and respected him as one of their own. Our home was always open to anyone who cared to pass by. Learning from our father, we developed a strong bond to the people and place. Gradually, it became part of our self-identity. We have many memories and associations to the home which give us a sense of belonging.

No doubt we shall always be drawn to it. Our peers and those who knew our father make us remember so many things about ourselves and our parents and the many relatives who lived nearby. Such memories are associated with many “firsts’’; first day at school, first date, first trip by bus and first party as a teenager.It is this lifelong attachment that drove us into building a new relationship as we transformed the home from an old home into a modern one.

We are committed and are responsible for managing the place in our time and later hand it over to the young generation as our father would have wanted.It is not lost on me that it is the young ones who will sustain the home in the future yet they are  scattered all over the world.  I keep wondering to myself, “Will they care enough to take on this responsibility?’’

Lungujja is no longer a small village but a suburb of Kampala city, the capital of Uganda. There are more stone brick houses with tiled –roofs, few apartments, a big hotel built by Eritreans but few green areas. The roads are narrow and there are a few shops. The perimeter walls are becoming taller and the traffic through the village connecting to the Northern By-Pass has greatly increased. It still has good views of the next hills, Namirembe, Lubaga and Lusaze and remains a middle-income residential area. Over time, it is becoming steeped in its heritage and history.Most of the traditional family homes of the the Kamanyis, the Kabalis, the Etuusas, the Sentongos and Wakatamas are still occupied and cared for in a united community.

Looking around the area, there is hardly any space for young families to put down roots, so the older ones have to care enough to preserve, rebuild and improve those homes.Lungujja had a big place in the minds and emotions of our parents so it is the responsibility of us the children to reconnect with our village.Amazingly, at whatever time I pass through this village, it always feels old and familiar and safe and dry. I feel as if the memories and associations are always waiting for me to come back.I guess I am not the only one whose identity is rooted in the home I was born and raised. 

“A tree’s beauty lies in its branches but its strength lies in its roots. ” – Marshona Dhliwayo 

“Live in your roots, not in your branches. ” – Nancy Willard. 

QUESTION:

How has the place you were born and raised in influenced the person you have become?