Fresh Jajja takes Kampala by storm

At the age of 66, Norah Martha Prisca Nakawombe commonly known as "Fresh Jajja (a literally Luganda translation- funky grandmother), has managed to garner fame due to her energetic dance steps. 

The way Nakawombe moves her body leaves many people in utter admiration and wondering how she used to make it in her early days.

Presently many are wondering whether she does not get muscle pull or find difficulties in waking up the next morning.

Considering the many performances, she has put up, she has demonstrated that she is still fit has earned her a lot of accolades.

Jjajja Nakawombe or Fresh jjajja, whichever you wish to call her, is overwhelmed by the number of invites ranging from introduction ceremonies to shooting music videos.  

During introduction ceremonies, Fresh Jajja leads the bridal team led by the aunts and grandparents, to greet the in-laws. When the DJ spins the disc to welcome the team, she shakes her waist, like a ‘boneless' snail.

She is a super breakdancer and can move 'Paka-chini'. A few artistes who have had a chance to stand at the same stage can attest.

One of her favorite artistes is David Lutalo. If you meet the two performing, you might think they are a ‘duo'.  

Fresh Jajja's rise to fame 
Nakawombe proudly speaks about her rise to fame. "I am very happy to be a celeb at my age. I thought I will never live a funky life as I did during my youthful days," Nakawombe says.

 

She notes that ever since she appeared on social media and featured on electronic media, she has gained relentless recognition and increased invitations to different organisation hence widening her scope of performance.

"It seems like my fans are always eager to see me.  Wherever I go, I must make stopovers to say hello to my fans," she adds. 

Nakawombe further adds that she hardly pays fares for the taxi.  "I reside in Makindye but whenever I board a taxi along that route to Kampala city centre, I do not pay taxi fares," she says.

Adding that not only taxi operators want to give her a lift even before she asks it to stop, but so do the sewage tank cars.

She says: "Our celebrity, our celebrity. Come ‘we touch you'.  Others start conversations and serve her a meal of her choice."

Working with Police
Although she is currently known for her dance moves, she has worked with different organisations to sustain her family.

She first worked with police at the Central Police Station (CPS) in 1977 as a receptionist for 20 years.

Nakawombe adds that during Amin's regime's Muslims were highly favoured forcing her to change her name to Nuru. She later had to regain her maiden name when President Yoweri Museveni took overpower.

When she retired from police duties, she became self-employed selling tea to earn a living.

Joining UTODA
In 2007 when Uganda was preparing to host Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, there was a need to streamline the transport sector.  This requirement involved calling upon people to work under the supervision of Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers' Association (UTODA).  

 "I was one of those applied and got the job with UTODA," Nakawombe says.

However, UTODA was shut down as a result of failure to pay its workers that led to endless strikes within the organization.

She adds that by the time UTODA became defunct, she earned sh4,000 every day. However, they used to work three times a week.

"We used to work thrice a week, but payment was never easy.  They still owe us up to today," Nakawombe says.

Nakawombe enjoyed her youthful age
Despite Nakawombe turning grey hair, she was a pretty lady.
"One of the things I will never forget about my youthful age is that I enjoyed life," Nakawombe says.

 
She wonders how the so-called ‘slay queens' are living their lives or what they are doing to enjoy life.

"There is nothing interesting nowadays that they ‘slay girls' are engaged in. I simply laugh at them because they are not enjoying anything. I wonder why they call themselves ‘silly gals' - it is an abusive word," she adds.

She says back in the days, they used to call themselves ‘teenagers' and wore skimpy clothing during Idi Amin's regime.

"I think we spearheaded the abolishing of skimpy dress code long ago because we tempted men!" she recalls.

 
She dismissed the claim that what the people especially ‘slay queens' are putting on new; it existed before.

Furthermore, the music trend is not any different. During her youthful age, she says she used to go clubbing in places such as White Nile, New Life Bar, Suzaana among others.

When it comes to conning men, she says it was her best game. "I was the ‘baddest' at conning men. I used to buy them beer and then run away from them after stealing their monies."

She recalls how one day, one gentleman almost got her caught after taking his money. "When I was caught, I pretended not to have any idea about what they were talking about and that it could have been my sister."

Nakawombe reacts to being called ‘old lady'

Nakawombe notes that although some people are trying to derail her by calling her ‘old lady, she will not give up!

"I do not have conflicts with anyone. I do not expect a person to speak ill of me and derail me.  All I expect is love for what I am doing despite my age," she explains.

She adds: "Please let me enjoy my life before I die. I do not want to become old, idle and a beggar because of my age. That is why I do physical exercise. I am doing a service that I am paid for."

She further adds that she is proud of her job.

Nabakombe's children are proud of her job.  "They insist that what I am doing is right as long as it is decent.  There is no way someone not related to me can stop me from doing what I love," she adds.

She says that she has been singing since childhood. Nabakombe used to sing with her husband Benard Nsubuga. However, she says her mother forced to abandon the talent inciting that she (Nabakombe ) would turn out a ‘prostitute'. 

Nakawombe has now decided to restart her career. She is currently in the studio and has started with a song titled "Gunsitudde" (Luganda word meaning uplifted').  It is a love ballad and she encourages lovers to maximize it to rekindle their love.  

Who is fresh Jajja?
She is known as Norah Martha Prisca Nakawombe a resident of Makindye - Madirisa Zone and a mother of 12 children.  She lost two of her children leaving her with 10 some of whom live in other countries. The oldest child is 40 years old and the youngest is 20 years. 

Nakawombe's parents are the late Maria Nakirijja and Amunoni Ssenyondwa. She grew up with her aunt, the Prisca Nakiwala(deceased).

Education background
She says she studied up to Senior Four. "Back then, studying up to Senior Four was a great achievement."

She went to Kitende Primary and Buwenda Primary. She attained secondary school from Kampala Grammar and Katikamu SDA, where she sat her O'level exams. 
Fresh Jjjajja's manager Mzei Bakiddawo speaks out

Joseph Ssendagire alias Mzei Bakiddawo is Fresh Jjajja's manager.

When contacted, Mzee Bakiddawo said: "I have never seen an old person with such charisma and gifted like madam Nakawombe. She is a dancer, an artiste and bold. She is a socialite."

I met her at her son (Pius Jjumba)'s introduction ceremony held at Bubuule village in Masaka district where I had been invited as a master of ceremony.

During the introduction ceremony, when it was time to hand over a flower and welcoming the bridegroom into the girls' family, the children asked their aunt (Nakawombe aka fresh Jjajja) to lead the team.

"Despite having white hair all over her head, she entertained everybody leaving many in ululations," recalled Ssendagire.

At the end of the function, he kept in touch with her, working with her and giving her services to my friends.

He added that after discovering that she could sing, he wrote her the song "Gunsitudde" - a hit song. 

 
Ssendagire first spoke to ‘fresh Jajja' s children who reside in Ndejje explaining his intentions of managing their music in her music career world.  However, the children cautioned him against forcing their mother into indecent or skimpy dressing.