By Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi

Sorry for the road and other accidents that have characterised the end-of-the-year festivities.

The death toll at Freedom City along Entebbe -Kampala High way in Makindye Ssaabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District on the eve of New Year’s Day, in addition to others like Lwengo accident along Masaka-Mbarara on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, that claimed 11 people and 13 injured, then that along Mityana Road that claimed three, the Kasanje and many others. Then the death pf Pope Benedict XVI. And Rev. Fr. Bro. Anatoli Waswa.

Muslims say: Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilaihi raj’una (We came from God and we go back to Him).

Personally, the festive season has made me busy, very busy, other than enjoying leisure. On Thursday, December 22, we had an end-of-the-year party by Masaka City Council organized by our Mayor Florence Namayanja and City Clerk Godfrey Bamanyisa. Best performers including the Mayor and Town Clerk were awarded prizes. 

On Friday December 23, l officiated giving Christmas gifts to the elderly in Masaka city and district by Pastor Josephine Nansamba of Victory Church Ndeeba, which was at her late parents’ home at Kirimya Go Down in Kimaanya Kabonera Division.

 Then on Saturday, December 24, as one of the panelists, l attended Gasimbagane ne Bannamawulire Talk Show on Radio Simba FM moderated by Mr. Peter Kibazo. Other panelists were controversial “RDC” Charles Rwomushana, veteran journalist Siraje Lubwama and Butambala MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi.

Then on Christmas day, morning hours l visited family friends in my home Nnambiiriizi village in Ssembabule District, and in the afternoon, we gathered at my home, which was also a home to my grandparents, to pray for my late grandfather, Zuliarabi Iddi Dungu Mukasa Kimera and spent the evening merry making with relatives and friends. On Boxing Day, we had a family meeting at Nnambiriizi in the morning and at Mbaale Kitaasa in Bukomansimbi District, our burial grounds, in the afternoon.

On December 27, l joined my fellow RDCs and RCCs and their deputies in South Buganda sub-region, at the burial of the late Dr. John Mitala, former Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Public Service, where we were led by our line minister, Omulongo Milly Babirye Babalanda, who was the chief mourner representing then President and Prime Minister, at Mukoko in Kalungu District, assisted by Secretary, Office of the President Haji Yunus Kakande, who was a long-time friend of the late Mitala.

In the evening, we followed the Minister, and State Minister for Water Development Hajjati Aisha Ssekindi in a requiem mass for the late Rose Kirunda, who had died in an accident on Boxing Day, like her late husband, the famous valentines on the Valentines’ Day, who died in an accident in 2008. We were joined by Masaka Diocese Bishop Serverus Jjumba.

In the following days, among the events, were weddings, duwa prayers/ last funeral rites, clan gatherings, weddings and graduation parties in Kimaanya Kabonera Division, the climax being end of the year party at Armored Brigade Masaka at Kasijjagirwa where we were invited by the Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Deus Sande and where we were entertained by the new jazz band of the brigade.

l whispered to the brigadier general that when l was a teenager in the seventies, we used to hear a jazz band of Suicide Mechanized Reconnaissance Regiment at Kasijjagirwa, which used to play at Tropic Inn hotel and had beautiful dancers like Sarah Kyolaba, whom, the then President Idi Amin picked for a wife, but unfortunately after kidnapping her lover.

Unlike the Ugandan army and Uganda National Liberation Army of the 60s, 70s and early 80s, UPDF is a people’s army, and invited and uninvited neighbors of the barracks all joined in merry-making. The barracks provided tents free of charge to civilians on weddings, funerals and other occasions regardless of political affiliation. Brig. Gen. Sande promised that this time, they will be accompanied by the band.

Although, the Masaka festivities were peaceful despite accidents, security agencies pounced on an Allied Democratic Forces cell in Nnyendo Mukuingwe Division, which is linked to attack of police barracks like Busiika in Luwero District,  and Kyabadaaza in Butambala District..

In my messages, throughout the gatherings, l called upon the people of Masaka to be peaceful, law abiding and loyal to the government of the day, despite different political affiliations. We have just recovered from 1979 Uganda-Tanzania war that toppled Idi Amin regime that left towns of Masaka, Mbarara and Arua grounded. Then came HIV-AIDS, Banana and coffee weevils, Covid 19, Ebola and we don’t want calamities.

My particular message to the Muslim community, especially the Muslims youths is to concentrate on education both secular and religious, be productive, live in harmony with their fellow citizens because we are all Ugandans and Africans. Some of the graduation parties l attended are those of graduands from Al Madeena University in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I told them that those that graduated in religious disciplines like Shariah (Islamic law) should also go for secular law so that they can be useful to all Ugandans. Islam as practiced for 1500 years in Arabian Peninsula where the population is 100 percent Muslims, cannot be the same in Uganda or sub-Saharan Africa where we are a multi religious and multi-cultural society.

I also warned them against religious extremism and fanaticism which, leads to terrorism. Uganda cannot be an Islamic state where Muslims are only a strong minority and where many Muslims and Christians still also practice African Traditional Religion. Amin rose to power in 1971 coup due to divisions in Uganda Army that was dominated by the North. It was West Nile and some of their Anyanya cousins from South Sudan versus the Luo. There was also an external favor of Israelis, the British and Amirian C.I.A.

It was never a religious factor. Muslims are elected MPs and Local Government Council leaders by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. So, there is no need for sectarianism.

Let 2023 be a year of peace and progress, now that we have got a bumper harvest where we are challenged with storage and value addition. We should all be active in the money economy and government programs including Emyoga, Parish Development Model, Women Fund, and loans for Small and Medium Enterprises in a jihad/crusade against poverty.

Haji Ahmed Kateregga Musaazi is a veteran journalist and a Deputy Resident City Commissioner Masaka City in charge of Kimaanya-Kabonera City Division.