Museveni preaches love and hard work

 

AS his family celebrated the life of his late mother Esteri Kokundeka Nganzi , President Yoweri Museveni over the weekend urged Ugandans to “love God, love each other and embrace hard work” .

 

On Saturday, hundreds joined the first family, close relatives and friends at Esteri Kokundeka Memorial Primary School in Rubaya sub county Mbarara district, for thanksgiving prayers led by Rev Canon Johnson Twinomujuni.

 

The ceremony was organized by Museveni’s family plus his siblings  Dr.Violet Froerich Kajubiri and Gen.Caleb Akandwanaho aka Salim Saleh. Wife to Mzee Amos Kaguta, the late Kokundeka was born in 1917, from Beene Rukaari a branch of the aristocratic Bashambo clan of Ankore.  

 

Eulogising his mother, President Museveni, said memorial services were exceedingly important for people to learn new things that would build their future development. 

 

Museveni described Kokundeka, whom many people fondly called ``Kaaka``(grandmother)  as a person who feared and respected God and her religion. She was trustworthy and loved development and that every time she could pray for Uganda and her people to have peace.

 

The President said Kokundeka pioneered Christianity in their family and that sometimes she was hated by many people because of her principles including  telling the truth. 

 

Museveni recalled his mother introduced religion in their family while  his father Amos Kaguta, who was a typical pastoralist, preferred cattle keeping than wasting his time in worshiping and glorifying God

“My father had little time for worshiping and he was not consistent to getting saved, he could be there today and tomorrow he abandons it,” he said.

 

Museveni also commended his mother for educating his sister Kajubiri who holds a PHD.  Kajubiri in 1955 was struck by polio which impaired her legs. According to Museveni, their father was hesitant to push her to trek to school which was many kilometers from their home but Kokundeka insisted that their daughter attends school where she excelled and won a scholarship to join Bweranyangi Girls School for the secondary education.

 

He said that like Kajubiri his mother supported him to attain good education and embrace hard work. He drew laughter when he said he had become saved and was one time a member of scripture union but later he abandoned it. 

 

He narrated how the Kaguta family migrated from Ntungamo district in 1960s to Rwenkanja in Kashari and later Rwakitura fleeing disease that had almost wiped out  their herds.  While senior Kaguta moved the dwindling herd to another location free of disease, Museveni said he moved with mother and the younger siblings went to Rwenkanja in 1965.

 

In his possession were 22 heifers his father had given him.. Water shortage later forced Museveni to buy more land Rwakitura which was big enough to for their cattle and later become the family home. “I still have some of the original herd which he named Abaremanduuru because they survived Amin and Obote wars,” Museveni proudly said.

 

President called up on people to love God, work hard, love each other people and dedicate energies to developing their areas even from individual humble backgrounds.

 

``Ugandans today sit back since government is giving them free things through programmes like prosperity for all. During our time we couldn’t get such free things``

 

He revealed that because he believes and fears God, he always “talks” to and consults God  for guidance. He cited the case when he was given a document to endorse the sign that was brought on his table to hanging Chris Rwakasisi, the former security/defence minister in the government of Dr.Milton Obote. Formerly sentenced to death, Rwakasisi received Presidential pardon.

 

Gen.Saleh described their mother as a hero whom he said persevered living under difficult times of harassment by the past regimes.   Without giving details, he thanked his brother (Museveni) for, “overcoming the anger against those people who harmed our mother.” The Late Kokundeka was in the early 80s jailed at Makindye military barracks for several days.

Canon William Ganafa and Eriya Paul Kyamianga, friends of late Kokundeka gave testimonies of her courage, selflessness and love for her children, Uganda and God.

 

Dr. Kajubiri( born at the time when Ankole celebrated 50 years( Golden Jubilee) said Kokundeka got saved in 1946 and that she passed through suffering like being imprisoned in the past governments. She urged her brothers and their families to continue serving God the way their mother was doing saying that her mother always prayed and God answered their prayers by bringing her sons(Saleh and ,Museveni) out of the bush war safely and successfully.

 

She recalled, they used to move long distances to Rushozi church, before her mother started Rwenkanja Church, but before Rwenkanja they first worshiped under the tree ``Enkukuru``. She added, “We would sound the drum and reach out to the hills and valleys urging people to come for prayer.”

 

Meanwhile Saleh, asked the private secretary to the President (mentioned no names) to give him respect he deserves especially when he wants to meet the President.  Saleh said he had over 10 reports to give to the President but president’s private secretary