Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga: The people's Mayor of Mukono

Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga: The people’s Mayor of Mukono

At 49, Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga’s life script reads like an adventure: He has weathered many storms to become
Mayor of Mukono Municipality. Samuel Lutwama spent time with him at home and in his o_ ce and saw a man whose tag of “the people’s mayor” is appropriate.

Today, he is the mayor of Mukono Municipal Council, the president of all municipal mayors in Uganda, a teacher, a veteran in business and also a gifted singer. These are some of the attributes that define Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, a man who was born and bred and nurtured his political career in Mukono.

Beyond that, over the years he has managed to create his own brand of magic that makes him a darling to those he serves. And to dub him a “people’s mayor” is no understatement, but a true description of his down-to-earth personality. A visit at his offi cial home in Upper Kawuga, a few kilometres from Mukono Town Council further revealed his true face.

Mayor’s parlor
Ssenyonga’s offi cial home. It is a big bungalow, sitting on a hill overlooking the hills of the nearby Kigunga. This is an affl uent area with several posh houses, which tell the social status of those in his neighbourhood, though he refused to name any of his high profi le neighbours. His house is a picture of opulence that shows the taste and style of the mayor.

From the moment his main gate rolled open, I kept gazing at the exterior design until he ushered me into his living room. Dressed in his trademark suit and a simple hairstyle, it is clear that politics has influenced his life in many ways, including his dress code.

He disclosed that the design and all the architectural patterns of the home were a brain child of his wife Hilda Nadunga Muyanja, a mother of four children. He admits that his home might not be the best, but it is impressive.

The construction of the house started in 2004 and it took six years to complete. His wife had a mental picture of what her home should look like, before the whole idea was translated into what it is today. The mayor was, however, quick to give credit to his wife who was not around at the time of the interview.

“She is the one who supervised the architectural outlook of both the interior and exterior of our home, for that reason she takes all the credit.” I was awestruck by the well-maintained compound. The green fingers that designed the lawn belong to the lady of the house. “She is a gifted designer and yet that is not her area of profession. My wife loves beauty, no wonder she is also beautiful,” he quipped as I took pictures.

Spacious living
The spacious living room can accommodate a sizable introduction ceremony. The living room, which is adjacent to the dining room, is not crammed with many furnishings, but with just what matters. The flat screen television and the big home theatre musical system make a profound statement about Ssenyonga’s love for music. The family pictures tell their own stories.

There are several bedrooms which are all self-contained and some are reserved for guests. The master bedroom, which is the heart of the whole house has an aura of tranquility. It is fully-fi tted, just like the other rooms. The dressing table is almost like a beauty parlor. The mayor admits that he is a fan of nice perfumes and nice clothes. He cannot leave his bedroom before glancing in the dressing mirror.

I was surprised to see two beds in the bedroom: the king-sized presumably for the mayor and his wife, and a smaller one. My mind started drawing various conclusions about the unusual set up, but there’s a good explanation: “That bed is reserved for one of our little boys. Although he always sleeps in his own bed, there are nights when he is afraid and seeks security in our bedroom. I know he will soon come of age, but for now he has a bed in our bedroom and there is nothing wrong with that,”Ssenyonga explains.

Alcohol, yes! Pork, no!
Of all the mysteries surrounding  Ssenyonga, perhaps the most intriguing is this: born of a Muslim mother and a Christian father he has lived to honour his faith heritage in rather a remarkable way. Bottles of beers and assorted wines have a place in the wooden sideboard in the living room.

The wine bottles and beers in his refrigerators suggest that the mayor is indeed a friend of the “bottle”. As if to prove the point, Ssenyonga walked to the sideboard and served himself a glass of Amarula before proceeding with the interview.

“With due honesty, I do take beer and wine, but usually that is after I am done with my official duties,” he confessed. What came into my mind then was that the mayor possibly enjoys pork too, since beer and pork are known to be close mates in most eating places.

But he delivers a shocking answer: “We are not pork eaters in my family and no pig is allowed at the backyard of my home. Many people may perceive me to be weird, but I don’t eat pork out of the respect I have for my mother’s Islamic faith,” he clarified.

His mother, Hajati Lazia Namagembe was a staunch Muslim and Ssenyonga feels duty-bound to respect the Islamic faith in a special way. But the same faith rejects alcoholic drinks. In response, the mayor states that drinking beer is not as blasphemous as eating pork. However, he stresses that he doesn’t impose these restrictions around his family members on his Christian father’s side.

Rooted in business
Senyonga was born in 1963. His father, Edward Zziwa was a businessman and a prominent farmer who amassed a lot of wealth while working with the defunct cooperative unions. Ssenyonga followed his father’s footsteps. In 1984, with the
influence of his enterprising parents, he embarked on a business career. By
the time, he was 21 he was already an established young man.

“It is on record that I was one of the few Ugandans who ventured in fuel business at a time when most Ugandans where still in business slumber. I worked in the fuel business for 12 years. I used the proceeds from the lucrative trade to spread my wings and ventured into building schools. It also helped me to launch my political career,” he reminisced.

Two wives, nine children
At 21 years, he built his first house within five months. The said house still exists and it serves as a vestige of the bygone days. Of course the beautiful house demanded a wife and Lillian Nassolo, his first wife fitted the bill. She still lives in that house and is the mother of five children. The two met while in high school and their romance blossomed into marriage in 1984.

Later Ssenyonga met and fell in love with Hilda. They met when she was teaching Ssenyonga’s children. “She was so good to all our children and eventually she became my friend. That is how we ended up together,” he explained. “Both my wives have been inspirational in my life,” he said, though he seems to have special praise for the second wife for being enterprising, particularly for sharing his interest in the field of education. She advised Ssenyonga to build schools which she manages now. Today, he boasts of having schools in Mbale and Mukono.

Bitter-sweet politics
While his business was flourishing and one would assume him to be satisfied with his success, Ssenyonga had a different idea. He knew that politics was his chosen way of offering services to those he leads. He relinquished his business to trusted hands and planned to rebrand himself in a political cast. “I realised that there was no way I could continue doing business and make a niche in politics effectively at the same time, so I had to tone down on my business dealings.”

In 1998, he joined active politics, beginning with municipal politics and later he became Mayor of Mukono Municipal Council. But now that he has been a political player for almost 14 years, he feels the itch to go back to business.

“Once a businessman, always a businessman. Politics has made me what I am today; I have been able to gain social acclaim. But again, it is in politics that my name has been smeared by those who want to bring me down. Having weathered all the storms, I feel I need to go back and find my first love, which happens to be business,” he said in a rather subtle tone.

People’s mayor
As mayor, Senyonga has created a brand as a people’s mayor. He has brightened up the lives of those he serves. I had a chance to assess his impact on Mukono: The car ride from his home to his office, which should have taken five minutes took close to 30 minutes. By the time he reached the office it was already besieged by people needing his help. He handled them all in a short time, yet none of them complained. Before he settled for lunch, a visibly drunk man shouting on top of his voice, threatening to storm the office.

The mayor listened to the enraged man who complained that he was stopped from operating a pork butchery. The argument threatened to degenerate into obscenities, but the mayor tactfully took the man out of the office promising to settle the matter personally. He took the man in his official car and the matter was settled within a minute.

Although it is widely said that politics is a dirty game marred by deception and all kinds of intrigues, Ssenyonga strongly believes in the virtue of honesty.

“Deception can look safe for a time, but it is the virtue of honesty that will firmly keep you grounded. It better to be honest and be hated, than to gain cheap popularity by dishonest means,” he philosophised.

First published in Discovery Magazine (Sunday Vision) July 1, 2012: Vision Group Resource Centre