Fondest memories of my father
THIS Sunday is Father’s Day. Many honour their fathers or grandfathers on this day. What memories does the day evoke for you? Is it the funny stories and special family moments you share with him? Have you emulated the attributes you value and respect most in your father — maybe a great sense of
THIS Sunday is Father’s Day. Many honour their fathers or grandfathers on this day. What memories does the day evoke for you? Is it the funny stories and special family moments you share with him? Have you emulated the attributes you value and respect most in your father — maybe a great sense of humour, an unerring sense of direction, and so on. It should be a day to celebrate your dad's life and achievements. Arthur Baguma talked to prominent people to find out the fondest memories they have of their fathers
John Nagenda, senior presidential advisor on media and public relations
My father was a saint. He is the kindest, warmest person I ever met. He led by example. I never heard him quarrel with my mother, in all the time I knew them. If they did, they never showed it. My father was a famous evangelist and travelled all over the world preaching the gospel. To date, people get in touch and say how much he helped and inspired them.
Agha Ssekalala, Businessman
(Laughs). I have no idea about Fathers’ Day. I have never heard about it. I only celebrate Idd Adhuha, Idd el Fitri and Haram. But if you want to talk about the budget or the economy, please call me, I will comment. (laughter again). You will forgive me for that but I don’t comment on personal issues.
Joanita Kawalya, Singer Afrigo Band
My father was kind and loved his children. He liked singing and used to tell us that climbing the ladders of success in the music life takes ages, but coming down takes just a moment. He was passionate about flowers. He inspired me into singing, a career he had pursued passionately. Joanita’s father, Eclas Kawalya, passed away in 1986.
John Ken Lukyamuzi
Lukyamuzi reminisces how his father stunned the residents of Kyabakuza village in Masaka when the Kabaka of Buganda was exiled in the 1960s. What the maverick former Member of Parliament remembers is that his father grew a thick beard and vowed never to shave until the Kabaka was brought back. He also wore one piece of bark cloth to protest the deportation of Kabaka Muteesa. His father John Clesestom Lukyamuzi passed away in 1974, at a time Lukyamuzi was in secondary school. So, now you know where the comic antics of John Ken Lukyamuzi (The Man) came from!
Mariam Ndagire, artiste
I only celebrate Mothers’ Day. I appreciate mothers more than fathers. I have no memories of my dad. I grew up with my mother, I never got to be close with my father. I don’t even know about Fathers’ Day. When is it anyway? I treasure my mother and appreciate her most.
Stephen Rwangyezi, Director Ndere Troupe
Although he was a staunch Christian, my father used to brew tonto (a local gin). He regularly hosted locals around the village and treated them to the sweet drink without asking for money. He never used to drink, but his argument was that he did this to keep social cohesion. He was a good traditional music dancer and during the drinking, he spiced up the occasions with his dancing antics, carrying a pot on his head. One day, he was dancing at a social gathering and there was this woman who had taken one too many calabashes of tonto. The lady was so taken up with dancing. As she vigorously danced, the animal skin wrapped on her body gave way and dropped. To us the children, this was a video and it became the talk of the village for a long time. To me, my father was a great visionary, he would do good things but people would not appreciate immediately, though later they would understand him. He believed in fairness. For instance, if he was to cane you, which was the punishment of the time. First he would call other children and form a ‘court’. If the verdict proved that you were in the wrong, you had to search for a good stick to be used on you. And after the smacking, you had to say thank you dad.
Aggrey Awori, veteran politician
My father used to flog us whenever we misbehaved. I remember a time he went beyond the usual flogging and gave me six strokes of the cane. Funny enough, he would cane you anywhere as long as it wasn’t the face. He was a canon in the local church, who believed in not sparing the rod to spoil the child like the Bible says. And today, I look back and thank him for the canes because they have made me successful in life. It’s unfortunate that we haven’t lived up to that for our children! Can you cane your child today, with all this cry of children rights all over? I have fond memories of my father. He was a strict disciplinarian. But then, if I am to ask, which father remembers Fathers’ Day, except the day of paying fees?
Father Anthony Kanyike, Chaplain St Augustine, Makerere University
Ah.. (Fathers’ Day) is for Bazungu, but I have fond memories of my father. He was a hardworking farmer. We were 15 children, but he managed to raise and educate us using the eight acres of land he owned. He sacrificed for us. He wore one kanzu (tunic) which he washed everyday, just to spare every penny for our fees. He spent all the little money he got on school fees for his 15 children. And when I went to the United States in 1971 to study, I had to send him a present. The present was building my parents a decent house. I built a house for them and they moved from the small dilapidated house in which we were raised. My father, John Ddamba, passed away in 1993 at the age of 82. My mother is still living and I love her so much because she equally did everything with our father.
Jaberi Bidandi Ssali
My father used to drag us out of bed at 6:00am every morning to go to the garden. He had a coffee shamba of about 8 acres and this was our daily destination. Until I joined secondary school, life was always about the garden and drawing water from the well under his close supervision. Of course we detested this, as children! But now I look back and understand why he did it. I have fond memories of him and I am proud that he forced us to do all that. He never went to school but he laboured to see us get a good education. He was so particular and a strict disciplinarian, an attribute that later shaped me into what I am today. Although I must tell you that I don’t celebrate Fathers’ Day. My father is dead. It is my children who celebrate father’s day. Bidandi’s father, Hajji Umar Kakonge passed away in 1978.
Cecilia Ogwal, MP Dokolo
My dad trekked a tedious journey when travelling was a nightmare. On my graduation day at Nairobi University, I was overwhelmed to see my father and mother. It was the most touching moment for me. I was extremely close to my late father, Boniface Opio, who passed away in 1981. He was also my friend and greatly influenced my life. He was a disciplinarian and he instilled that character in me. It is a challenge for fathers today to be exemplary, because most children want to emulate their fathers.
Rebecca Kadaga, deputy speaker of Parliament
Luckily, my father is still living. He turned 80 years recently. My father is my best friend. I have no idea about Fathers’ Day. When is it? Ok, then I will give him a surprise gift when I visit him in Kamuli. My father used to work in the Ministry of Justice and he is the one who inspired me into the legal profession.
Mary Karooro Okurut, MP Bushenyi
Oh my God! My father was overly obsessed with cleanliness. One day he summoned all of us (children) and gave us orders never to leave any piece of paper or rubbish in the compound. He said if you see any piece of paper in the compound, pick it up and throw it away. But, being children we did this once and forgot about the whole idea. One day he called us again and asked us: “What did I tell you to do? One of us replied that we should pick papers littered in the compound. Then he asked: “What do you see in the compound now?†At that time, the compound was littered with paper. We simply looked on with guilt as children and said nothing. He ordered us to pick the rubbish and take it to him. We reported back holding wrapped pieces of rubbish. He then told us to un-wrap them and behold inside the papers was money. He had put coins inside the papers. From that time, we always looked out for the rubbish in the compound. It is unfortunate he is not around to see how his paper and money gimmick has kept our love for cleanliness — a life time devotion. As adult children, we adore being neat and it shows in our homes. Karooro’s father, Ernesti Karooro, passed away in 1994.
John Nagenda, senior presidential advisor on media and public relations
My father was a saint. He is the kindest, warmest person I ever met. He led by example. I never heard him quarrel with my mother, in all the time I knew them. If they did, they never showed it. My father was a famous evangelist and travelled all over the world preaching the gospel. To date, people get in touch and say how much he helped and inspired them.
Agha Ssekalala, Businessman
(Laughs). I have no idea about Fathers’ Day. I have never heard about it. I only celebrate Idd Adhuha, Idd el Fitri and Haram. But if you want to talk about the budget or the economy, please call me, I will comment. (laughter again). You will forgive me for that but I don’t comment on personal issues.
Joanita Kawalya, Singer Afrigo Band
My father was kind and loved his children. He liked singing and used to tell us that climbing the ladders of success in the music life takes ages, but coming down takes just a moment. He was passionate about flowers. He inspired me into singing, a career he had pursued passionately. Joanita’s father, Eclas Kawalya, passed away in 1986.
John Ken Lukyamuzi
Lukyamuzi reminisces how his father stunned the residents of Kyabakuza village in Masaka when the Kabaka of Buganda was exiled in the 1960s. What the maverick former Member of Parliament remembers is that his father grew a thick beard and vowed never to shave until the Kabaka was brought back. He also wore one piece of bark cloth to protest the deportation of Kabaka Muteesa. His father John Clesestom Lukyamuzi passed away in 1974, at a time Lukyamuzi was in secondary school. So, now you know where the comic antics of John Ken Lukyamuzi (The Man) came from!
Mariam Ndagire, artiste
I only celebrate Mothers’ Day. I appreciate mothers more than fathers. I have no memories of my dad. I grew up with my mother, I never got to be close with my father. I don’t even know about Fathers’ Day. When is it anyway? I treasure my mother and appreciate her most.
Stephen Rwangyezi, Director Ndere Troupe
Although he was a staunch Christian, my father used to brew tonto (a local gin). He regularly hosted locals around the village and treated them to the sweet drink without asking for money. He never used to drink, but his argument was that he did this to keep social cohesion. He was a good traditional music dancer and during the drinking, he spiced up the occasions with his dancing antics, carrying a pot on his head. One day, he was dancing at a social gathering and there was this woman who had taken one too many calabashes of tonto. The lady was so taken up with dancing. As she vigorously danced, the animal skin wrapped on her body gave way and dropped. To us the children, this was a video and it became the talk of the village for a long time. To me, my father was a great visionary, he would do good things but people would not appreciate immediately, though later they would understand him. He believed in fairness. For instance, if he was to cane you, which was the punishment of the time. First he would call other children and form a ‘court’. If the verdict proved that you were in the wrong, you had to search for a good stick to be used on you. And after the smacking, you had to say thank you dad.
Aggrey Awori, veteran politician
My father used to flog us whenever we misbehaved. I remember a time he went beyond the usual flogging and gave me six strokes of the cane. Funny enough, he would cane you anywhere as long as it wasn’t the face. He was a canon in the local church, who believed in not sparing the rod to spoil the child like the Bible says. And today, I look back and thank him for the canes because they have made me successful in life. It’s unfortunate that we haven’t lived up to that for our children! Can you cane your child today, with all this cry of children rights all over? I have fond memories of my father. He was a strict disciplinarian. But then, if I am to ask, which father remembers Fathers’ Day, except the day of paying fees?
Father Anthony Kanyike, Chaplain St Augustine, Makerere University
Ah.. (Fathers’ Day) is for Bazungu, but I have fond memories of my father. He was a hardworking farmer. We were 15 children, but he managed to raise and educate us using the eight acres of land he owned. He sacrificed for us. He wore one kanzu (tunic) which he washed everyday, just to spare every penny for our fees. He spent all the little money he got on school fees for his 15 children. And when I went to the United States in 1971 to study, I had to send him a present. The present was building my parents a decent house. I built a house for them and they moved from the small dilapidated house in which we were raised. My father, John Ddamba, passed away in 1993 at the age of 82. My mother is still living and I love her so much because she equally did everything with our father.
Jaberi Bidandi Ssali
My father used to drag us out of bed at 6:00am every morning to go to the garden. He had a coffee shamba of about 8 acres and this was our daily destination. Until I joined secondary school, life was always about the garden and drawing water from the well under his close supervision. Of course we detested this, as children! But now I look back and understand why he did it. I have fond memories of him and I am proud that he forced us to do all that. He never went to school but he laboured to see us get a good education. He was so particular and a strict disciplinarian, an attribute that later shaped me into what I am today. Although I must tell you that I don’t celebrate Fathers’ Day. My father is dead. It is my children who celebrate father’s day. Bidandi’s father, Hajji Umar Kakonge passed away in 1978.
Cecilia Ogwal, MP Dokolo
My dad trekked a tedious journey when travelling was a nightmare. On my graduation day at Nairobi University, I was overwhelmed to see my father and mother. It was the most touching moment for me. I was extremely close to my late father, Boniface Opio, who passed away in 1981. He was also my friend and greatly influenced my life. He was a disciplinarian and he instilled that character in me. It is a challenge for fathers today to be exemplary, because most children want to emulate their fathers.
Rebecca Kadaga, deputy speaker of Parliament
Luckily, my father is still living. He turned 80 years recently. My father is my best friend. I have no idea about Fathers’ Day. When is it? Ok, then I will give him a surprise gift when I visit him in Kamuli. My father used to work in the Ministry of Justice and he is the one who inspired me into the legal profession.
Mary Karooro Okurut, MP Bushenyi
Oh my God! My father was overly obsessed with cleanliness. One day he summoned all of us (children) and gave us orders never to leave any piece of paper or rubbish in the compound. He said if you see any piece of paper in the compound, pick it up and throw it away. But, being children we did this once and forgot about the whole idea. One day he called us again and asked us: “What did I tell you to do? One of us replied that we should pick papers littered in the compound. Then he asked: “What do you see in the compound now?†At that time, the compound was littered with paper. We simply looked on with guilt as children and said nothing. He ordered us to pick the rubbish and take it to him. We reported back holding wrapped pieces of rubbish. He then told us to un-wrap them and behold inside the papers was money. He had put coins inside the papers. From that time, we always looked out for the rubbish in the compound. It is unfortunate he is not around to see how his paper and money gimmick has kept our love for cleanliness — a life time devotion. As adult children, we adore being neat and it shows in our homes. Karooro’s father, Ernesti Karooro, passed away in 1994.