Tribute to life spent in humility
THE Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) is one architect less. Adonia Tiberondwa, a member of the UPC Presidential Policy Commission (PPC) succumbed to a heart disease on Wednesday December 22 at 6: 15am.
By Geresom Musamali
THE Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) is one architect less. Adonia Tiberondwa, a member of the UPC Presidential Policy Commission (PPC) succumbed to a heart disease on Wednesday December 22 at 6: 15am.
Party faithfuls will remember him as one of the chief planners of Dr A. M. Obote’s 1980 return from exile in Tanzania, to Bushenyi, where he launched the party’s bid for presidency. Tiberondwa became minister for Industry in the subsequent Obote cabinet, 1980-85, after sweeping the polls against Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) Bushenyi Central Constituency candidate Richard Nduhura, now Igara East MP and state minister for industry.
Those born recently will, perhaps, only remember how during the 1996 polls, Tiberondwa and Amanya Mushega (now East African Community secretary general), battled for Igara East votes during the day and had dinner at the same table in the evening. Mary Tiberondwa, the deceased’s wife, is the elder sister of Mushenga’s wife, Alexander.
So even when politics set the Tiberondwa and the Mushega families apart, blood remained thicker than water.
“We would decampaign each other all over the place, then come and have lunch in the same house. In fact, people would get confused. They would wonder what exactly we were fighting over. But that goes to show that Adonia was an understanding man, a mature politician who would not let petty issues overshadow principles,†said Mrs Tiberondwa.
Dr Rwanyarare, the chairman of the PPC, said the gap left by Tiberondwa was unbearable.
“It has hit us hard. We shall take long to accept that he is gone,†he said.
Rebecca Sherani, a student of Makerere University doing a Master’s degree in Education said Tiberondwa was his supervisor for the thesis. She said he had been sick for sometime but would make great effort to attend to his duty.
Leolidas Karokora, a Ugandan who has worked in Zambia and Botswana said Tiberondwa had left a legacy in that part of Africa, where he taught at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Campus in the 1970s. Karokora said Tiberondwa’s book, “Missionary Teachers as Agents of Colonialism†was a must read for UNZA teacher trainees.
Tiberondwa was born in Kyeizooba on December 27, 1936, to Matayo Kafiire, a Church of Uganda catechist. His mother was also a very active church member.
He went to Ntare School, and Makerere (then the University of East Africa) where he obtained a diploma in education.
He later obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of London, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D from the University of Dar es Salaam.
He taught at Ntare from 1962 to 1965, became the headmaster of Lango College (1965-67) and Teso College (1968-71) before being appointed director of the National Teachers College Kyambogo (currently Kyambogo University) (1971-72).
He went into exile after Idi Amin took over power, and lectured at UNZA up to 1979 when Amin was overthrown.
He again went into exile, this time in Kenya, when the Okello-Okello junta overthrew Obote.
He returned from exile in 1989 and soon after represented Igara County in the National Resistance Council.
When he left active politics, he joined Makerere University where he has been an associate professor.
The day he died was supposed to be a special day for the family.
Mary Tiberondwa and Alexander Mushega’s nephew, Leon Kabahizi, was taking his marriage vows with Winny Kairumba at Mbuya Catholic Church.
Grace Ssebagero, Tiberondwa’s only child, had flown in from Kigali where she works with the United Nations and is married.
So what does it feel to be the only daughter, the only child at that, of the Tiberondwa?
“My dad accepted what God had given him. He was satisfied with that,†Grace said. To accept certain facts of life was typical of Tiberondwa. Perhaps, that is why he chose to remain in the country, silent while many of his fellow party members were living in exile.
His burial on Sunday, December 26 at his home in Kyeizooba, was just a day before his 70th birthday.
Thus ends the life of the former chief scout of Uganda, former head of leity in West Ankole Diocese, former chairman of the Uganda Teachers Association and former Ankole Kingdom secretary for education.
Fare thee well, Dr Ado, the man who fairly balanced politics and religion.
THE Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) is one architect less. Adonia Tiberondwa, a member of the UPC Presidential Policy Commission (PPC) succumbed to a heart disease on Wednesday December 22 at 6: 15am.
Party faithfuls will remember him as one of the chief planners of Dr A. M. Obote’s 1980 return from exile in Tanzania, to Bushenyi, where he launched the party’s bid for presidency. Tiberondwa became minister for Industry in the subsequent Obote cabinet, 1980-85, after sweeping the polls against Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) Bushenyi Central Constituency candidate Richard Nduhura, now Igara East MP and state minister for industry.
Those born recently will, perhaps, only remember how during the 1996 polls, Tiberondwa and Amanya Mushega (now East African Community secretary general), battled for Igara East votes during the day and had dinner at the same table in the evening. Mary Tiberondwa, the deceased’s wife, is the elder sister of Mushenga’s wife, Alexander.
So even when politics set the Tiberondwa and the Mushega families apart, blood remained thicker than water.
“We would decampaign each other all over the place, then come and have lunch in the same house. In fact, people would get confused. They would wonder what exactly we were fighting over. But that goes to show that Adonia was an understanding man, a mature politician who would not let petty issues overshadow principles,†said Mrs Tiberondwa.
Dr Rwanyarare, the chairman of the PPC, said the gap left by Tiberondwa was unbearable.
“It has hit us hard. We shall take long to accept that he is gone,†he said.
Rebecca Sherani, a student of Makerere University doing a Master’s degree in Education said Tiberondwa was his supervisor for the thesis. She said he had been sick for sometime but would make great effort to attend to his duty.
Leolidas Karokora, a Ugandan who has worked in Zambia and Botswana said Tiberondwa had left a legacy in that part of Africa, where he taught at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Campus in the 1970s. Karokora said Tiberondwa’s book, “Missionary Teachers as Agents of Colonialism†was a must read for UNZA teacher trainees.
Tiberondwa was born in Kyeizooba on December 27, 1936, to Matayo Kafiire, a Church of Uganda catechist. His mother was also a very active church member.
He went to Ntare School, and Makerere (then the University of East Africa) where he obtained a diploma in education.
He later obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of London, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D from the University of Dar es Salaam.
He taught at Ntare from 1962 to 1965, became the headmaster of Lango College (1965-67) and Teso College (1968-71) before being appointed director of the National Teachers College Kyambogo (currently Kyambogo University) (1971-72).
He went into exile after Idi Amin took over power, and lectured at UNZA up to 1979 when Amin was overthrown.
He again went into exile, this time in Kenya, when the Okello-Okello junta overthrew Obote.
He returned from exile in 1989 and soon after represented Igara County in the National Resistance Council.
When he left active politics, he joined Makerere University where he has been an associate professor.
The day he died was supposed to be a special day for the family.
Mary Tiberondwa and Alexander Mushega’s nephew, Leon Kabahizi, was taking his marriage vows with Winny Kairumba at Mbuya Catholic Church.
Grace Ssebagero, Tiberondwa’s only child, had flown in from Kigali where she works with the United Nations and is married.
So what does it feel to be the only daughter, the only child at that, of the Tiberondwa?
“My dad accepted what God had given him. He was satisfied with that,†Grace said. To accept certain facts of life was typical of Tiberondwa. Perhaps, that is why he chose to remain in the country, silent while many of his fellow party members were living in exile.
His burial on Sunday, December 26 at his home in Kyeizooba, was just a day before his 70th birthday.
Thus ends the life of the former chief scout of Uganda, former head of leity in West Ankole Diocese, former chairman of the Uganda Teachers Association and former Ankole Kingdom secretary for education.
Fare thee well, Dr Ado, the man who fairly balanced politics and religion.