Kihika survived Idi Amin only to die in an accident
ON September 23, three people died on the spot at Bwizibwera, along Mbarara Ibanda Road after an accident. Among the dead was John Kihika, a one time senior civil servant with the ministry of information during the Obote and Amin regimes.
ON September 23, three people died on the spot at Bwizibwera, along Mbarara Ibanda Road after an accident. Among the dead was John Kihika, a one time senior civil servant with the ministry of information during the Obote and Amin regimes.
before his fateful journey, Kihika was reportedly in a jovial mood, greeting everybody he knew with his usual chuckle.
And to those he met, he would pull a portrait of the Sacred Heart of Jesus out of his red polythene bag and jokingly tell them how beautiful it was and how much he longed to be with him.
Known for his vibrancy and strength of character, his death shocked all who knew him. “It was difficult to believe that my father had died. No one expected it,†says Oscar, his first born son.
During their last meeting, two or so weeks before his death, Kihika had talked to Oscar about his plans to undertake new developments at his farm house in Rubindi in Mbarara.
Born June 24, 1931 to a single mother in Buhweju, Bushenyi district, and raised by a paternal uncle, Kihika attended primary school in Buwheju. He joined Kitabi Minor seminary and later Old Kampala Secondary School.
In 1952, he joined the Ministry of Information as a clerk. In 1957, he obtained a scholarship to study Journalism at Oxford University in the UK.
While in the UK, he briefly worked for The Observer and Daily Mirror before returning to Uganda in 1959.
In 1962, Kihika married Phoebe Angelica and started a family. He re-joined the ministry of Information as an information officer in charge of the Western region.
Those who knew and worked with him say Mzee John Kihika was a very principled person.
It was his openness and thorough approach to work that saw him rise through the ranks from t a clerk to senior information officer, head of the Presidential Press Unit(PPU) and director of Information.
While he seemed to enjoy a successful career, his tenure was marred by trials and tribulations.
During his time as a civil servant, Kihika worked under very difficult circumstances serving under the worst dictatorial regimes in Uganda’s history.
This, however, did not deter him from executing his duties even at the expense of his own life.
In his memoirs, the late Kihika recounts how his job as head of the PPU, a body that was created in 1972 to publicise President Idi Amin’s activities, nearly cost him his life.
During a public rally in Arua, Amin instructed Kihika to write down every detail of his speech.
After the rally that lasted nearly the whole day, Amin summoned Kihika to report his recordings to him. Due to the president’s erratic English, Kihika had edited out what he thought was not necessary.
“I thought my job was to be of service to the people through the mass media and the press generally, for whom I was reporting not to Amin as such.
I, therefore, left out of his speech all that I considered trash and I put down only all that was consumable by the people...†he narrates.
His report only infuriated the president.
“Not only was the report not ready, it lacked the details he wanted. He became furious...â€
Incensed, Amin ordered that Kihika travel back to Kampala with him the following day.
“On the plane, he used vulgar words to insult me, saying I was a dangerous man who worked for Obote. He threatened to kill and make me disappear.†he narrates.
“I had once hunted and killed a wounded buffalo before and that was preferable to meeting Amin at the height of his fury.â€
In 1981, he resigned and retired to Kagongi, Rubindi in Mbarara district, where he took to mixed farming.
Two years later, he was appointed personnel manager by Roko Construction Ltd, a post he held until 1994.
After over 10 years at the construction company, Kihika went back to Rubindi to concentrate on farming. His task was done and well enough at that. Now, anyone who knew John Kihika will agree.
before his fateful journey, Kihika was reportedly in a jovial mood, greeting everybody he knew with his usual chuckle.
And to those he met, he would pull a portrait of the Sacred Heart of Jesus out of his red polythene bag and jokingly tell them how beautiful it was and how much he longed to be with him.
Known for his vibrancy and strength of character, his death shocked all who knew him. “It was difficult to believe that my father had died. No one expected it,†says Oscar, his first born son.
During their last meeting, two or so weeks before his death, Kihika had talked to Oscar about his plans to undertake new developments at his farm house in Rubindi in Mbarara.
Born June 24, 1931 to a single mother in Buhweju, Bushenyi district, and raised by a paternal uncle, Kihika attended primary school in Buwheju. He joined Kitabi Minor seminary and later Old Kampala Secondary School.
In 1952, he joined the Ministry of Information as a clerk. In 1957, he obtained a scholarship to study Journalism at Oxford University in the UK.
While in the UK, he briefly worked for The Observer and Daily Mirror before returning to Uganda in 1959.
In 1962, Kihika married Phoebe Angelica and started a family. He re-joined the ministry of Information as an information officer in charge of the Western region.
Those who knew and worked with him say Mzee John Kihika was a very principled person.
It was his openness and thorough approach to work that saw him rise through the ranks from t a clerk to senior information officer, head of the Presidential Press Unit(PPU) and director of Information.
While he seemed to enjoy a successful career, his tenure was marred by trials and tribulations.
During his time as a civil servant, Kihika worked under very difficult circumstances serving under the worst dictatorial regimes in Uganda’s history.
This, however, did not deter him from executing his duties even at the expense of his own life.
In his memoirs, the late Kihika recounts how his job as head of the PPU, a body that was created in 1972 to publicise President Idi Amin’s activities, nearly cost him his life.
During a public rally in Arua, Amin instructed Kihika to write down every detail of his speech.
After the rally that lasted nearly the whole day, Amin summoned Kihika to report his recordings to him. Due to the president’s erratic English, Kihika had edited out what he thought was not necessary.
“I thought my job was to be of service to the people through the mass media and the press generally, for whom I was reporting not to Amin as such.
I, therefore, left out of his speech all that I considered trash and I put down only all that was consumable by the people...†he narrates.
His report only infuriated the president.
“Not only was the report not ready, it lacked the details he wanted. He became furious...â€
Incensed, Amin ordered that Kihika travel back to Kampala with him the following day.
“On the plane, he used vulgar words to insult me, saying I was a dangerous man who worked for Obote. He threatened to kill and make me disappear.†he narrates.
“I had once hunted and killed a wounded buffalo before and that was preferable to meeting Amin at the height of his fury.â€
In 1981, he resigned and retired to Kagongi, Rubindi in Mbarara district, where he took to mixed farming.
Two years later, he was appointed personnel manager by Roko Construction Ltd, a post he held until 1994.
After over 10 years at the construction company, Kihika went back to Rubindi to concentrate on farming. His task was done and well enough at that. Now, anyone who knew John Kihika will agree.